Dreamer and the Dragon
by Musicera
Summary: Levy McGarden dreams of leaving her small village outside Magnolia where her brilliance isn't appreciated. When her father gets lost on his travels and is captured by a fearsome creature, she trades his freedom for her own. As it turns out, this iron monster may not be as frightening as he seems. A Fairy Tail take on Beauty and the Beast! Rated M for a reason! GAJEVY. LAXANA.
1. Chapter 1

"The Dreamer"

. . .

"Goodbye, Papa! I'm going to return this book and grab some groceries on my way into town!" the girl yelled to her father over the sound of his machines in the workshop.

"Goodbye, Levy! Don't be out too long!" her father responded, continuing on his work.

The girl closed the door behind her gently, smiling lightly at her father's latest endeavor. Makarov, or Maki, as he was more commonly referred to by the townspeople, was a little bit odd. He was a very short man and a little heavy set. His white hair stuck out at all angles from his head and even his daughter had to admit that his outfits, often comprised of colorful patterns and pairings, were a little out there.

But despite all his quirks, the man was a true genius in the eyes of his daughter. She believed that his inventions had the potential to truly transform and advance the world in which they lived. She couldn't wait for his newest contraption to be unveiled—she just hadn't figured out exactly what it was yet.

Putting her latest read into her basket, the petite young woman ran her hair through her shoulder length blue locks. Her hair always had a wild side to it and she did her best to tame it with a headband tied in a bow under her neck.

She looked down to brush off the dirt from the road on her orange dress. She sighed, realizing that perhaps her father's taste in clothing had somehow affected her own. Shrugging her shoulders she focused on getting to town so she could get a new book to read.

Her town, Provincia, was just a small village outside of Magnolia. She always dreamed of the day she might be able to leave this little village and venture into bigger cities like Magnolia or even Crocus! But life in the city was expensive and her and her father, despite their combined intelligence being higher than that of the entire village's still struggled like everyone else born into peasantry.

Levy was truly the daughter of Maki. Quick witted and intelligent, she thirst for knowledge and tried to find it wherever she could. Sensing her aptitude for learning, her father never held her back or refused to teach her, despite it being severely frowned upon by most of the villagers. The first time she corrected the baker on the change she was supposed to receive, she thought the town was almost going to riot against her, when they realized her father had taught her algebra.

She waved politely to the baker as she entered the threshold of the town, still not entirely forgetting the look he had given her that day. The village had an everyday feel to it, meaning that every day felt the same to the lady. Her only escape from the repressive atmosphere of the townspeople was her favorite bookseller.

He was an older gentleman but despite his advanced age, he was a man of new-age values. He never frowned upon the fact that Levy could read or that she had an interest in learning. He understood that she could not afford to purchase any books and that even if she could, he might be run out of business for selling more knowledge to the already odd little lady. So he allowed her to borrow books from time to time, knowing that she would always return them in pristine condition.

Entering the bookstore, the man greeted her fondly as she handed her latest borrow back to him. "Finished already?" he exclaimed as she ran her fingers along the spines in his bookcase.

"Oh I couldn't put it down," she gushed. "Daring sword fights, far off places, a prince and a palace!" she sighed, wishing her life could be more like those in these books.

The man's eyes twinkled as he handed the book back to her. "If you like it that much, it's yours!"

Levy couldn't believe it. She'd never actually owned a book of her own. Sure her father had various workshop manuals but this, a book that was completely hers, she was almost moved to tears. She knew that the villagers might not approve of the bookseller's kind gesture if they found out, as well.

"Sir, I couldn't," she said, pushing the book back to him.

"I insist," he said firmly, placing the book into her basket.

Levy couldn't help it. She reached forward to hug the older man that had become her secret-keeper; one of the few people in her life, other than her father, that actually understood her. "Thank you so much," she exclaimed, her brown doe eyes looking up at him.

He chuckled before patting her head affectionately, waving his goodbyes as she left the shop.

She couldn't wait to get home and start reading this novel again. _The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne_ was truly one of her favorite reads. Traditionally written in prose, it told the tale of the beautiful princess Grainne and her paramour, a handsome warrior Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.

Seeing a cozy spot near the center fountain, she couldn't resist settling down to read just one chapter. Seating herself on the cool stone, she settled her orange dress around her before she began to immerse herself in the first chapter.

 _Aging Fionn, a great leader of the warrior band Fianna, was grieving over the death of his wife. His most devoted men heard that Grainne, the daughter of High King Cormac mac Airt, is the most beautiful and eligible of princesses in the land. Arrangements for a marriage are made, however upon hearing of this, Grainne becomes understandably upset. While at one time a powerful warrior, Fionn is older than her father and has few years left._

 _At the betrothal dinner, Grainne sees Diarmuid from across the room. He is one of Fionn's most skilled warriors and she is instantly enamored. He's handsome—to say the least. He wore the forest green of his band along with brown leather riding crops. Matching leather bands adorn his forearms, protecting him from the snapping strings of bows. His dark hair is greased back from no doubt his own sweat and effort, yet a few strands manage to escape to frame his face._

 _As Grainne stares into that face, he catches her gaze, holding it as she gets lost in his copper eyes._

"Amazing," Levy breathes, before suddenly being jolted back to reality by sheep running rampant through the town's center square.

She smiles briefly, shaking her head at the site of their keeper running frantically after them before brushing her skirt off and standing up. "Better get on with the groceries," she thinks to herself. She keeps her prize tucked under her arm as she collects the staples her and her father need, not wanting it to be contaminated by an accidental spill or smell.

Levy gasps as she suddenly feels the book being pulled from her arm. Twirling around to recover her treasure, she finds herself staring at the broad chest of one of Provincia's most eligible bachelors. "Hello, Levy," the man drawled, holding her book just out of her reach.

The bluenette looked up, locking brown eyes with intense grey ones. "Hello, Laxus," she sighed. The man was truly gorgeous—there was no denying it. Easily six foot four and heavily muscled, he wore his height well. Hair the color of the sun's rays adorned the top of his head, contrasting beautifully with his storm colored eyes.

Unfortunately for Levy, the man was an incessant asshole. Always sporting a cocky smirk on his face, he was gorgeous and he knew it. Women all over town fawned over him but for some reason, he seemed to always want to bother her. She couldn't see why, most of the other townspeople avoided her. And while she had considered what it would be like to be with a man like Laxus at one time, his clear disregard for any form of knowledge or self-advancement neatly ended that thought train, no matter how fun of a ride it might be.

"Laxus, may I have my book back please?" Levy pleaded, trying not to sound too worried.

The man threw her a cocky grin before holding the book up in front of him. "This? How can you even read this? It's got no pictures!" he exclaimed, thumbing roughly through the pages.

"Some of us like to use our imagination," Levy mumbled, while reaching up for the book. Laxus casually threw it over his head and Levy dove for it, thankfully catching it before it landed in a muddy puddle of standing water.

"Levy, it's time you started paying attention to more important things," he said, beginning to circle around her. "Like me." She shivered into herself, feeling strangely like she was some sort of prey. His large black boots thudded heavily into the ground with every step. She looked up from his boots to his khaki slacks before finally noticing his deep purple shirt. Despite the relatively warm temperatures, he was sporting a fur lined black coat, allowing it to hang loosely over his shoulders.

Standing as tall as she could, which compared to Laxus, put her right at about his chest, she looked up into his eyes in defiance. She saw again his lightning shaped scar over his right eye. He had told everyone in town that it was merely a hunting accident during one of his greater conquests but she wasn't so sure if that was the truth.

"Laxus," the petite woman said with all her strength. "I'm really flattered but right now I need to get home to help my father."

A loud laugh startled her as one of Laxus' followers came out from the pub they were standing next to. He was tall, almost as tall as Laxus, and had striking dark blue hair. It was clear the man was not from Provincia, with his tanned skin, slightly slanted eyes and dark eyelashes but he was considered to be Laxus' best friend and therefore, no one bothered him. Laxus had that sort of fame in the area.

"That crazy old kook needs all the help he can get!" the man laughed wildly, letting his tongue loll out of his mouth. Laxus patted him heavily on the back and laughed loudly along with him.

Levy grimaced but attempted to remain gracious. "Please don't talk about my father that way!" she said, her voice rising slightly in defense of her family. "He's a genius!" Just as the words left her mouth, a large explosion sounded behind her.

"Father!" she gasped, leaving the two guffawing men to themselves as she ran back home to assist her father. As she ran back to the house, she thought to herself, "there must be more to life than this little town."

. . .

"Father" she yelled over and over again, trying to see through the smoke in his workshop. Finally, when the white wisps cleared, she could see him struggling with something that had gotten caught in his apron. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She would never admit this to anyone, but Maki wasn't her biological father. She had never known her true parents and her father never told her how it was that she had come to him. What he had told her was that her biological parents had passed and so had his wife. Both equally in need of each other, they formed a bond arguably stronger than most parents and children.

"Gosh darn this stupid thing, I am never going to get it to work!" her father yelled at the contraption.

Levy smiled at his temper tantrum before walking over to him to help him dust off his apron. "Yes you will, father. And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow, I just know it!"

He gave her a hopeful smile, "You really think so?"

She nodded her head in encouragement as she watched her father get back to work on his newest invention. "You just watch, Levy! This invention is going to be the start of a better life for us!" he exclaimed.

Levy sighed. "I hope so, father. Other than you, I just feel so lonely in this town. Everyone thinks that I'm—" she hesitated. "Odd," she finally finished.

She heard her father guffaw underneath the machine. "Let them think that. Those old farts wouldn't even know brains and beauty if it stared them in the face." He pulled himself out from under the contraption and gave her a serious look. "You're an extremely special young lady, Levy. If they think your odd, that's just because they're too stupid to know any better."

Levy laughed. She always felt better when her father gave her these pep talks. She gave him a quick hug as he stood. "Thanks, Dad."

"Now, let's see if this thing will finally cooperate!" the white haired man said. He beckoned his daughter as he wheeled the invention outside. It was hard to describe exactly what it was, but the best Levy could make of it was some sort of large tube on wheels.

Maki aimed the open end of the tube at a large tree, about one hundred yards away. "Okay," he said. "Stand back now and cover your ears." Levy did as she was directed and watched as her father loaded something into the back end of the tube. Feeling herself tense, she braced herself as her father pulled back on a lever before quickly covering his ears and running to her side. The machine starting whirring before finally, there was an incredibly loud bang and a brilliant flash of blue light.

The two of them looked at each other before looking towards where the tree was. When the smoke cleared, the tree had a large hole right in its center. Maki jumped up and down exclaiming, "it works! It works!"

"What is it, father?" Levy asked, trying to catch her breath from her father dancing her around in exuberant circles.

"I call it the Etherion Cannon!" he beamed.

Levy shrugged. "What's it do?"

"Well you see," he beckoned her over to the back end. "Careful now, it's still hot," he warned as she was about to touch the dark metal. "On this end you load a sort of treated coal that I've invented. And through a series of mechanical processes, a powerful energy blast will exit from this side," he said, leading her to the front of the "cannon."

"What will it be used for?" she questioned him, trying to think of an answer herself.

"Oh loads of things!" her father exclaimed. "It could help clear forests for building houses, it could help bring down walls that are in need of replacing! Think of all the wasted man-hours spent on demolition. Enter the Etherion Cannon!" he said proudly.

"I'm so proud of you, Papa," Levy leaned down to give her father a kiss on the cheek. The man returned her embrace before busying himself with getting his invention loaded into the cart.

A few hours passed and he was packed and ready to head to Magnolia. The city had an invention fair once a year and the winner of the fair was given a hefty sum and usually offers from prestigious companies to produce their product in bulk.

Levy wished her father well on his journey, helping him step up into the tall carriage. She slipped their horse Felipe a big carrot which he chewed gratefully before nuzzling her affectionately.

Magnolia was only about a four-hour ride from their village. Seeing that it was only about two in the afternoon, her father should make it there before the sun set that evening. "Keep good watch over the place while I'm gone, my dear," he said, waving his goodbyes.

"I will, father! And be safe!" she shouted after him as he made his way onto the beaten path towards Magnolia.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself. "This is going to be the first step towards a new life for us!" she mused to herself.

END CHAPTER 1

 **Hello Lovelies!**

 **Okay so incase you haven't already noticed, this is a new take on Beauty and the Beast. I was literally obsessed with that movie growing up and I've had an idea for this rewrite for a while now.**

 **I seriously don't know why I do this to myself. Like I've already got Fairy Penalty Game going and a chapter of Demon's Lightning. Sigh. Oh well. It just is how I am. Get used to it. I make no apologies.**

 **I'm really excited for this story though. It will be a little bit calmer than my normal stories but for my most devoted smut kitten, here's what I'll promise you: if I can work in some smut, you know I absolutely will. As I write this, I've already got some ideas and just raised the rating from T to M in my head. Once again, no apologies!**

 **Love you guys! Tell me what you think!**

 **Musicera**

*No ownership here!


	2. Chapter 2

"The Dragon"

. . .

Gajeel Redfox was no ordinary mage. From a young age he had shown both great power and great potential. As a child, his adopted father, Metalicana, a formidable mage himself, had gone to great lengths to nurture the boy in his skills, helping to develop both his offensive and defensive capabilities to their fullest.

Growing up, Gajeel tried not to think about the time of his life before Metalicana had taken him in. He'd grown up in a terribly underfunded orphanage outside Oak Town. The headmistress of the establishment used the money given by the city to line her own pockets at the expense of the children under her care.

Gajeel had no idea how he'd ended up at the orphanage, and when he tried to ask, he was given the same answer every other child was told, "'Cause you were a brat and your parents didn't love you. Now leave me alone!"

The headmistress didn't like to be bothered by the children so when Gajeel's magic started manifesting itself at a young age, it started causing problems. Around the age of five, the young boy's body would begin to transform, suddenly changing into large iron polls that would go smashing through walls unexpectedly. While asleep, if he had a particularly bad dream, he would wake up to find that he'd blown half the beds up against the other wall after "yawning."

So by the mere age of six, the child found himself homeless, out on the streets, trying to fend for himself. His senses were good and he often took himself out into the forest to hunt. He was often able to run down a rabbit or squirrel and after a few run ins with bad bouts of food poisoning, had pretty much figured out how to cook the animals correctly.

But life living in the forest, in a makeshift shelter, which barely kept out the elements, with no one to care for you or tell you that you were loved, can be a hard existence for a six-year-old boy.

It was in this state, that Metalicana Redfox found the young boy. Trekking through the forest one day on his way back to his home after doing some training of his own, he happened across a child that was far too young to be on his own. After asking a few questions of the boy and establishing that he was indeed orphaned, Metalicana told him that, if he pleased, he could come and stay with him.

The boy was hesitant at first. He trusted very little and he had every right to be skeptical of people. Between the orphanage and they way he was treated by people when he asked for assistance on the streets, he had little respect for "civilized society." But the man's offer of food and a warm bed was too tempting to resist and so Gajeel warily followed the man back into town.

Over the next several months, Gajeel spent increasing time at the man's residence, slowly allowing himself to develop trust. While at first he only showed up for dinner when he couldn't make a catch or when the weather was horrid, his visits became more frequent.

Metalicana lived modestly for how well off he was. Being a powerful mage, he took jobs throughout the city and abroad, using his skills and was paid heavily for it. Yet his home, while comfortable, was not extravagant. It was a small rowhouse in the Market District of the town. Two bedrooms upstairs, a kitchen and greatroom downstairs made up the floorplan.

The man himself, unmarried and (to the dismay of many hopeful women) happy with that choice, was well liked within the city. In his mid-forties, the use of his magic had turned his hair a magnificent shade of silver that caught the eyes of many while outside. His quick and often stinging sense of humor was always a hit at social events for those who didn't take themselves too seriously.

When Gajeel finally built up the courage to admit to—whom he was starting to see as a father figure—the fact that he had some sort of magic within him, the boy was nearly terrified. The last time such a fact had been discovered, he had lost what little home and friends he had, left to fend for himself on the streets.

But Metalicana did not respond as the boy had expected. Instead, the mage delighted in discovering Gajeel's magic and promised the boy that he could teach him how to control and even use his magic to provide himself a great living.

The two were a perfect fit. Since Metalicana used a form of metal magic himself, he was easily able to teach Gajeel how to control and wield his magic and within just a few years, Gajeel's strength had grown immensely.

While painful to remember, Gajeel knew that the moment Metalicana smiled proudly at the revelation he was a mage was the moment the man had finally torn down the last barrier the boy had erected against people. From that moment forward, Gajeel permanently stayed with Metalicana. The two trained hard when they could and bonded easily. By the age of eight, Gajeel's strength and magic had progressed so strongly that the mage even took the boy on some of his easier missions.

The day that Metalicana came home with official adoption papers had been one of the happiest days of Gajeel's life. He felt like he finally had someone that loved him—it was all he had every truly wanted.

And then one day—it was all gone. Gajeel was ten at the time. He remembered seeing his adopted father packing a few things into a bedroll for a job. "Can't I go with you, pops?" the young boy asked, bounding over to bounce on the bed.

"I'm afraid not, son. But don't worry, I'll be home soon," he said, affectionately ruffling Gajeel's thick black hair. Gajeel had taken to wearing it like his fathers, cropped about an inch long to his head and slicked back to keep out of his eyes. However, whereas Metlicana's always seemed to stay in place flawlessly, Gajeel's hair often sprouted wild ends that escaped his gel.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" the boy asked lazily. His father going on jobs he couldn't accompany was nothing new. He was strong but Metalicana took some serious jobs from time to time that he just wasn't old enough to handle.

"No more than a week, I promise," the man responded. Finishing packing his supplies, the man hoisted the bedroll onto his shoulder and headed downstairs to the front door. "Keep the place safe while I'm gone," he called out to Gajeel.

The boy ran down the stairs, latching onto his father and giving him a big hug before he left. "I will. I love you, dad," the boy said softly. The father leaned down to return the embrace. "I love you too, son."

Those were the last words Gajeel had ever heard his father say. The man never came home. The first week was easy-going. Gajeel worked on his training, went to the store to stock the fridge and enjoyed his time alone. Metalicana had never fussed about leaving him alone—even at such a small age, considering he had at one time lived in the forest by himself.

But as time ticked forward into the second week without any sign of Metalicana's return, Gajeel started to grow worried. He tried to go around to various businesses in town, asking whether his father had taken a job from them. Everyone gave him a resounding no.

By the third week, Gajeel was frantic and he would have gone out to look for his father but he had no idea where to go. He contacted the police and they said they would help but they didn't seem to do much.

A month passed and still no word of Metalicana. Gajeel started taking trips out to neighboring villages, trying to search for his father, but had no luck. Each time he returned home feeling more weary and broken.

After two months, the police contacted Gajeel, informing him that Metalicana was assumed to have died on his mission and handed the small boy his will. The man had left everything to him, his wealth, his home, everything. It was quite a small fortune that this ten-year-old boy inherited, and he made it last as well as he could.

Gajeel realized quickly that if he was to keep what his father had given him, he would need to start working. But who would hire a ten year old, despite his strength, as a mage? Gajeel returned to all the businesses in the area, asking if they had any jobs he could take. All refused him except one: Phantom Lord.

Phantom Lord was a mercenary business and operated somewhat on the edges of the law. The members had never outright caused problems and often lined the pockets of the local police force, so they were allowed to continue in their often-shady dealings.

Jose, the owner of Phantom Lord was somewhat lacking in terms of morals and was not opposed to allowing a ten-year-old boy to take on jobs if it meant more money for his business. The man figured if the boy got injured, well that just wasn't his fault. And if he proved himself a fighter, then it was someone he could shape and mold for his personal use in the future.

Jose had seen the hurt and despair in the boys eyes when he came asking for work. Something had clearly gone awry in the boy's few years to cause such pain in his eyes. But whereas others might seek to help the youth, Jose only sought to grow this pain. To him, pain was a way to control people, and after taking a few jobs and showing his true strength, Gajeel was someone Jose deeply wanted to control.

So at first, Gajeel visited the business very infrequently, only appearing to take and return job requests. But once the young boy started to eat a few meals there, Jose made an effort to talk with him on a regular basis. At first it was just simple hellos, then small conversations about how he was doing on jobs.

As Gajeel grew, Jose started deepening their conversations, delving into the boy's past. He found out about the orphanage and about his adopted father. Everyone in town was surprised to hear that Metalicana had disappeared. But Jose used these facts to feed the anger and hurt he saw lurking beneath Gajeel's surface.

"My father skipped town one day too, you know," Jose lied to Gajeel one day over breakfast. The then-twelve year old looked up at him with wide eyes. "Yep. Just up and left me and my siblings behind to fend for ourselves," the man said nodding. Jose could see he had Gajeel's attention now. Running his hand through his dark hair tied back tight in a ponytail, he continued. "Found out that the bastard had another family and I guess he liked them better than he liked us."

Gajeel's pained look at the owner nearly made the man giddy. "Metalicana wouldn't do that," the young boy said softly. "He loved me."

Jose patted the boy's back gently, rising to his feet. "Yeah, I thought that about my father, too. But you've got a new family, Gajeel. Phantom Lord is your family now. Forget about that man."

Conversations like these continued over the years and it worked. Master Jose was able to poison Gajeel's image of Metalicana to the point where the now sixteen year old didn't even want to speak his name anymore. Moving out of the house he inherited to rent a place closer to the business, Gajeel allowed the home to fall into disrepair. The boy stopped wearing his hair like his father's, opting instead to allow it to grow long and untamed down his back, more like Jose's.

Gajeel took increasingly dangerous jobs and the use of his magic had become increasingly violent. Metalicana had always taught him to use restraint and to always look for an alternative to physical altercations if he could help it. But the rage that Jose grew within Gajeel wiped all that away, producing one of the most ruthless mages in Oak Town.

And so it was that on one stormy evening, as the wind howled and the rain beat fiercely against the windows of Phantom Lord's headquarters, situated in the hills outside of Oak Town, that an old beggar woman came to the door.

It was Gajeel, then eighteen, who answered. Looking down at the women he scoffed. She was old and somewhat frail. Her bright pink hair was tied into a tight knot on the top of her head and she wore a long red cloak to keep out the weather. "I seek shelter from the storm," she asked of him.

Gajeel stood, barring her entrance from the warmth of the hall. The wind whipped around him, blowing his dark mane about, giving him a sinister air. "Yeah?" he taunted. "And what's in it for us? We don't just let old beggars crash here. It ain't a shelter lady," he sneered.

The woman reached into her cloak and pulled out a beautiful crystal orb. Inside it was a brilliant light that filled the area with a beautiful silver glow. "I offer you this in return for your hospitality," the woman said, holding the object up for Gajeel's inspection.

But the mage just jeered at her. "I don't want your stinking snow globe, lady. Get lost!" he said as he moved to slam the door in her face.

The woman reached out, stopping the door before it closed. "Outward appearance is not always a true reflection of inward significance," she said, giving Gajeel a knowing look. "I give you one more chance to allow me shelter."

The way she looked at him truly enraged him. It was if she could see all his insecurities and the violence Jose placed in his heart reared its ugly head. "Piss off, you old hag!" he shouted at her, moving to slam the door once more. But his movements were once again halted. He watched in awe as the woman in front of him transformed into the most magnificent creature he had ever seen.

The few coworkers that were hanging around this late at night that had previously been laughing at the woman's predicament moved to cower in the corners, trying to stay out of sight. Before them, the old beggar woman transformed into a magnificent creature. Easily the size of the entire building, she sported pure white feathers on her wings and lush fur down her neck and chest. Her head came to a graceful point and held the most intense blue eyes Gajeel had ever seen.

Fixing those eyes on him, Gajeel stood his ground, attempting not to appear weak, despite the fact that his knees felt as if they were about to give out. "Gajeel, son of Metalicana, you have lost your way," her voice echoed throughout the hall. "And the people who like to pretend they are your family have not helped you in your times of need." Her gaze cast out onto the other members cowering in corners.

Extending her wings out wide, the building around them began to glow and vibrate. Gajeel fell to his knees and he heard her voice in his own head. "You have used the power given to you to strike fear into the hearts of others. You have cast aside kindness for violence and closed your heart to love. Such cruel intentions shall be your manifestation and only through your trust of another and their trust in return will you finally be free of this curse." As Gajeel looked down, he watched his body transform. His entire being began to grow in size and the iron of his magic began to form thick scales upon his skin.

He turned his red gaze back on the building, only to see it transforming as well, into a mammoth cathedral, large enough to fit his ever-increasing size. The howls of his colleagues surrounded him and after what felt like an eternity, everything finally settled into the night. Looking around, the glowing white creature was gone and all that stood before him was the small orb she had offered and a mirror.

He attempted to grasp the mirror, only to realize he had massive talons. Looking down at his hands, he realized they no longer were hands but claws covered in metal scales. Grasping the mirror as best he could, he saw what this enchantress had done to him. He howled in rage, rampaging throughout the room he found himself in, destroying everything in sight.

The image that had stared back at Gajeel in that mirror was one of pure terror. Gleaming red eyes that glowed in the dark, huge canine teeth protruding from a pointed snout, a spiked tail and giant wings. There was only one way to describe what the woman had transformed him into—an iron dragon.

END CHAPTER 2

 **Hello lovely readers!**

 **Oh my gosh you guys it damn near broke my heart to write this. Originally, I was thinking last night about how I wanted to write Gajeel's character and I hadn't really figured it out but then as I started writing, the back story just flowed and all this angst just landed on the page. I am SO sorry. I'm almost balling over here. Gosh darn myself!**

 **I know I should really update Fairy Penalty Game right now but I'm having a lot of fun with the beginnings of this story so I'm a let my mind do what it wants! Hope you can handle it!**

 **I love you guys for reading! Already seen some followers from Fairy Penalty Game on here and it just made my flipping day! Love you guys! Seriously do!**

 **Off to go work on Fairy Penalty Game now. Hope you guys enjoy this sobby chapter. Hope I didn't drain all the tissues in your house!**

 **Musicera**


	3. Chapter 3

"The Proposal"

. . .

Makarov was many things: a caring man, a loving father, and a brilliant inventor, but a skilled navigator was not one of them. For some reason, reading maps proved extremely difficult for the man and on even relatively known trips, like those into Magnolia, he easily found himself off the correct path.

He never told his daughter because he didn't want her to worry. In the past, he always just left himself a little extra time and was successful in finding his way to his destination. So when he looked curiously at his map and then up at the fork in the road, he wasn't too surprised or alarmed when where he thought he was didn't match up to what he was seeing.

"I don't know, Felipe. We must have gotten off the proper route somehow." The elderly man jumped down from the carriage, walking a few paces forward before seeing a large sign with many arrows pointing in various directions. Many of the writings had faded with time so they were difficult to read. So when Makarov thought he found the sign that said, "Magnolia," he was absolutely mistaken.

Jumping back up into seat, he encouraged Felipe to travel the way the sign pointed. His horse seemed hesitant. The path was terribly overgrown and had an aura about it that gave the horse a fright. But at his master's words of encouragement, the faithful steed gingerly plodded down what he was sure was the wrong road.

When fifteen eerily quiet minutes passed, Makarov again tried to refer to his map before huffing, "This isn't right, Felipe! Come on, we better turn around." But as the two moved to reverse their path, they were confronted by a pack of large, ape-like creatures.

Their gargantuan arms and large hands, attached to muscled torsos told the pair that they were not going to be able to fight their way out of this battle. The pack started moving towards their victims and Felipe started to back away in fright. Makarov tried his best to steady his horse so they could make a break for it, but he had no luck. The horse reared up on his hind legs, throwing the small man from his seat onto the ground.

One of the creatures broke free from the group, rushing the downed man. Makarov picked himself up, running as fast as he could to get away from the beast. It snarled and snapped its jaws at the man, trying to get at him. At one point, the monster had gotten a bite on Makarov's cloak, but the man was able to unclasp it, letting the creature momentarily lose his balance and fall to the ground.

Up ahead, he saw a large gate. He knew if he could just make it through, he could close the structure and he'd likely be safe so he could catch his breath. Mustering all his strength for his age, the old man ran through the gate, closing it just as another beast snapped at his leg, narrowly missing him.

He sighed a breath of relief before looking through the iron bars to see Felipe, successfully fleeing the creatures through the woods. His heart ached for the loss of his friend but he hoped the horse had a better sense of direction than he did and might be able to find his way back home.

. . .

"I dunno, Laxus," Bickslow said uncertainly. "You sure this is going to work?" The two of them were standing in the middle of an open field adjacent to Levy and her father's home. Bickslow had slicked his midnight black hair back against his head and was looking tall dark and rather handsome in a black tuxedo. Laxus was also wearing a black tuxedo and had spiked his longer blond locks high on his head, adding to his already impressive height.

"Of course it will," Laxus scoffed, seemingly offended that his best friend didn't approve of his plan. "Every girl I've wanted in this town has come willingly to me, _except_ for Levy. Well that all is going to change." Laxus clapped Bickslow on the shoulder before continuing. "No woman could resist my marriage proposal."

Bickslow nodded in agreement. "Sure, sure. I get that. But, boss-man, do you really want to marry this girl?"

Laxus shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going to need to settle down at some point. And besides," he turned and gave his friend a lecherous grin, "just because I'm married doesn't mean I'm going to stop enjoying the finer things in life."

Bickslow grinned wildly. "I hope you mean booze, brawls and broads."

Laxus smirked, "just not necessarily in that order." The two men laughed together before turning around to address the crowd that had gathered. Laxus raised his voice to speak over the din. "I want to thank you all for coming to my wedding." Cheers went up around the group before Laxus raised his hands to quiet the crowd. "Now if you'll excuse me, I guess I should go and propose to the girl." The townspeople laughed along with Laxus, whooping and jeering as he headed towards Levy's house.

Levy herself was curled up in her favorite chair, devouring the book she now owned. When she'd last left off, Grainne had just spotted Diarmuid at her betrothal dinner and instantly became enamored.

 _When her could-be grandfather turned to speak with one of his men, Grainne quickly slipped a sleeping potion into his drink. Within a few hours, all of the guests had either left or were passed out from too much drink. She knew Fionn would not wake until morning given the dose of medication she had put into his wine._

 _She found Diarmuid wandering the gardens and approached him. She was equally enchanting to him as he was to her. However, when she asked if he would run away with her and help her escape this dreadful arrangement, he refused, out of loyalty to his king. Yet, Grainne persisted and threatened Diarmuid with a curse if he did not comply. Diarmuid relented, partially out of fear of the curse but partially because he was truly enamored with this woman, and the two left in the middle of the night, running across the River Shannon to hide in the forest._

A sharp rap at her door startled her out of her reading reverie. She carefully placed the book down onto the table before dusting off the apron she had on over her orange dress from her morning chores.

Opening the door, she found herself facing a smirking Laxus, looking down at her. Before she had the chance to invite him in, he all but pushed her aside to enter her home. "Laxus, what a pleasant surprise," she said slowly, reminding herself to be gracious.

"Isn't it, though?" Laxus said with a laugh as Levy tried not to roll her eyes. "Levy," he said, stalking into her personal space. "Today is your lucky day."

"Oh?" she said with a raised eyebrow, trying to gain space from the man.

But Laxus didn't relent. He continued to prey on her until she was cornered between his outstretched arms with her back to the table. "Today is the day all your dreams come true."

"And what do you know of my dreams, Laxus?" she let slip.

Laxus stood to his full height, adjusting his tie. "Every woman in this town dreams of marrying me," he drawled, "but that dream is only coming true for you, today."

Levy was shocked. "Laxus!" she said, her hand flying to her heart. "I—we don't even know the first thing about each other. How could we possibly get married?" All she knew of Laxus personally were the rumors she had heard throughout town, and if she was being honest, he didn't really seem like the type of man with whom she would have a connection.

"Levy, Levy," he chided, closing the distance between the two as Levy arched herself away from him over the table. "None of that matters. We don't have to _know_ one another to _enjoy_ one another."

Levy had had enough of him invading her personal space and she pushed on his chest, giving herself enough room to duck between his hands to run to the other side of the room. "Laxus, truly, I'm flattered, but—I'm just not ready to get married right now, even less so to a stranger!" She was trying to maintain her composure but the hulking blond kept closing the space between them.

"Levy," he said, gently lifting her chin so she would look him in the eye. "I'll be a good and faithful husband to you. You can trust me."

Levy looked deep into his gaze; it was the first time she had ever truly looked at Laxus. But what she saw did not inspire trust. Looking through his eyes she saw deception and insincerity. "I—I don't think I can trust you, Laxus," she hesitated, not wanting to jump to conclusions. "At least not with such a big decision."

Laxus let go of her chin rather roughly before saying, "Then you're a fool!" Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door roughly behind him. Levy winced and jumped to hold a picture against the wall that was about to crash down.

The crowd waiting expectantly as Laxus entered the clearing. Throwing his hands up in the air and calming his demeanor, he shouted, "Looks like she's not home," to the crowd. The townspeople all looked rather disappointed (except for three young ladies towards the back) and began milling around.

Bickslow stepped up to his best friend's side and projected, "Who cares? Let's all celebrate as planned at the tavern!" Cheers went around and Laxus looked gratefully at the man, who had a wicked smile on his face. "Come on, man. The three great pleasures of life await us!"

Laxus grinned along with his friend before the two headed into town.

. . .

Back in the house, Levy watched from the side of her window, surprised to see a majority of the townspeople leaving the little clearing next to her home. A little black and white tabby cat jumped up onto the windowsill and meowed at Levy, asking for her attention.

She finally let the curtain fall before scooping the cat up into her arms and brought him to the overstuffed chair. She placed him down, giving him a pat on his head before beginning to pace the room. "Can you believe it, Lily? He asked me to marry him?"

Trying to reign in her emotions before had been difficult and now that he was gone, the floodgates had broken. "I barely even know the first thing about the man! And he wants me to trust him?" Levy turned to look at the little cat. She had found him wandering her father's workshop one day and started putting food out for him. Ever since that day, the little cat had taken up residence in the home. Neither Levy nor her father minded, since he helped keep the mice out of the house and workshop. "Would you trust a man you barely even know, Lily?"

Lily looked at Levy intently before yawning and stretching his front legs out long. Levy just laughed. "Didn't think so." She walked over to pet him once more as he settled down for a nap. Grabbing her book, she decided to take it out to the now empty clearing and catch a few rays of sunshine to help cleanse her mind from the days' events.

. . .

"Gee, boss. I hate seeing you like this," Bickslow mourned, bringing a beer over from the bar and handing it to his friend. Laxus was sulking—to say the least. A woman had never once turned him down before and of all women to do it, it had been the little mousy bookworm, that no one even gave a second glance. She was odd and always had her head stuck in some cloud and by the way of looks many of the other maidens in town far outdid her in that category. He cast a sideways glance at three such maids, Cana, Evergreen and Enno, who were giving him heated stares. He smirked, knowing what he'd be doing this evening. But the little daydreamer irked him. For some reason, someone like her refusing someone like him stung.

"A girl like her, refusing a man like me? Where does she get off?" Laxus glared into the fire before taking a sip of his drink. He was sitting in a large oversized chair he had brought especially to the tavern just for himself. A man like him, as large and as powerful as he believed himself to be, needed to set himself apart from the townspeople.

"I don't think she does, boss man," Bickslow cackled, taking a drag from his own tankard.

Laxus was in a sour mood and wasn't particularly amused by his friend's jokes. He huffed, giving his friend the cold shoulder, but Bickslow persisted. "Come on, Laxus! You've got to pull yourself together!" Coming around to face Laxus, he pointed at the townspeople. "Every man here would love to be you, Laxus. And," he gestured to the three women who had moved to the bar and were still giving the sulking blond heated eyes, "every woman would love to be _with_ you."

Laxus rolled his eyes. He knew that. He'd experienced each one of those three women at one point. He and Cana had been fuck-buddies for a while. "None of that matters when a weak little nobody like Levy McGarden says no to me. It's disgraceful."

Bickslow pulled a chair close to his friend, straddling it before taking another drink. "Come on, man. She's a nobody. Everyone in town thinks she's strange. You wouldn't want to marry a girl like her anyways."

Laxus sighed, but ultimately agreed with his friend. "You're right, Bix. Thanks," he said, raising his beer up to Bix's before taking another drink.

A crazy smile spread across the midnight haired man's face as he said, "Now let's get wild!"

Laxus smirked, downing the rest of his drink in one gulp before getting up to stride over to the three women who were currently lusting after him.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as his friend headed to the other side of the bar. Bickslow himself, with his relaxed attitude and well-built body, had a fair amount of success with women. But lately, Laxus had noticed the man was spending a lot more time in this tavern, especially when a certain short white-haired barmaid was working.

Laxus inwardly chuckled. Ironic that it seemed more likely that Bickslow was ready to settle down with one woman than Laxus, given the days' events. Although, Laxus never really intended on "settling down" with one woman, despite any vows he may take. All he really wanted out of the whole thing was a woman to take care of him at home and someone to bang if he struck out around town—pure and simple.

"Ladies," the blond greeted the three women, offering them new drinks. Laxus had experienced each of these women at one time or another before. Cana was the wildest of all three, followed closely by Enno. Cana was a tall, slim woman with ample cleavage. And to Laxus' delight, she never seemed shy about showing it. A heavy drinker herself, the two had often met up at the tavern before leaving for a roll at one of their homes in the evening.

Enno's mid-length purple hair and matching eyes gave her an exotic look. She had cleavage that rivaled Cana's and to the men's delight, get enough ale in her and you could find her dancing topless on the tavern tables.

Of all three women, Evergreen was the most uptight. But to Laxus, she had the goods to back up her often-cocky attitude. Her long chestnut hair was often tied high against her head, showing off her graceful neck and beautiful breasts. Her favorite emerald dress sat low enough on her chest and high enough on her legs to put those assets on display, much to Laxus' delight. The man knew that she was obsessed with beauty and considered him to be one of the most beautiful men in town, she would do anything he asked of her without complaint.

As the night progressed, Cana moved to sit on Laxus' lap. For as much as the woman drank, she never seemed to be overly affected by it, so when she pulled Laxus' head back and started kissing him fiercely, the man didn't fight her. The woman clearly knew what she wanted and he wasn't going to turn down a night of wild sex.

Enno had become sufficiently tipsy by this time, having shed her top so that she was just wearing her bra. She was sitting up on the bar while many of the men watched her expectantly. But when Cana made her moves on Laxus, the woman got angry. Pulling on Laxus' sleeve she huffed, "Laxus, you and Cana are always all over each other. It's not fair!"

Laxus pulled back from Cana's kiss, earning him a bite from the brunette on his lower lip. He growled at her and she simply smirked at him in response. "Enno," he replied, "there's more than enough of me to go around, if that's something you're up for." He quirked his eyebrow at her.

The violet woman giggled before shimmying her breasts from side to side. "I'm up for anything, Laxus," she drawled his name. Laxus smirked, enjoying the ego boost these women were giving him. He moved to push Cana off his lap, but not before she ground himself against his already stiffening manhood to remind him of her presence. He grabbed her by the chin, giving her a cocky smile before saying, "Behave yourself, woman."

Biting her lower lip and grabbing his wrist with her hand, she moved her core against his again, resulting in her throwing her head back and moaning softly. Laxus couldn't wait to get these women home.

As the three headed out, Evergreen stepped in front of them. "And just where do you think you two are going with Laxus?" she snapped.

Cana rolled her eyes. "We're going home with him, Evergreen, duh!"

Evergreen made an annoyed sound. "If anyone should be going home with Laxus, it's me. I'm the most beautiful woman here."

Laxus raised his eyebrows. This could go one of two ways; the whole thing could go to hell in a handbag or it could be the most fantastic night ever. He was hoping for the latter. "Ever," he cooed. "We all know you're beautiful. No reason to keep it to yourself. Why don't you join us?" He looked between Enno and Cana before saying, "There's always room for one more."

The tall blond smirked when the chestnut beauty flashed him a knowing smile before pushing Enno aside to thread one of her arms through his. Laxus deftly moved Enno to his other side, wrapping his arm around both her and Cana and the four of them headed towards the door.

Before stepping through the threshold, Laxus looked back to give a shout to his friend only to find him rather occupied, pressing the little white-haired bar maid up against the counter with his tongue down her throat. And with that, the man turned his attention back to his three women and escorted them away from the increasingly rowdy tavern towards his home and bed.

. . .

Throwing her book in her satchel, Levy walked to the center of the little clearing next to her house. Sitting down in the soft grass, she plucked a dandelion that had seeded over, blowing on it and watching as its white wisps flew freely through the air.

She sighed, following the flower remnants with her gaze. In many ways she envied those little seeds. They were able to float away from this place and start a whole new life somewhere else. Turning to her book, she realized that perhaps the reason she loved the tale so much was because she identified with Grainne.

Like Grainne, she didn't want to marry just anyone—even if that anyone were Laxus, the most sought after bachelor in the town! She wanted a life of her own making. She groaned, laying down into the grass and allowing the book to fall on her face. Unlike Grainne, she believed that she didn't have the courage to run off in the middle of the night to escape her trapped life. She didn't think she'd ever be able to do something so bold. She was a dreamer, not a doer.

She winced as she thought about the days' events; thinking back to the way Laxus had just stormed into her home and demanded her hand in marriage. She'd been so offended at the time, so certain that he didn't have her best interests at heart, but she was second guessing herself now. Maybe she should have taken him up on his offer.

Laxus was pretty wealthy. His grandfather ran a successful business involving a new invention people were calling electricity and it was rumored that Laxus would be the one to inherit everything when the grandfather passed. Until recently, Laxus had served honorably in the kingdom's military and was currently in the reserve. There was no questioning the fact that he was handsome and could provide for her.

Levy let her hands fall to either side of her in frustration, her book still open on her face. She felt so torn. She was so certain at the time that it was the right thing to do. She tried to remind herself that she wanted more out of life than to be somebody's wife—she wanted to be _somebody_ herself.

Her muddled thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when she heard the heavy thumping of a horse coming out of the nearby woods. Sitting herself up in the grass, she saw Felipe running at full gallop towards her. She stood, putting her arms over her head so the horse could see her. He ran to her, completely out of breath.

Levy could feel it, something was very wrong. "Felipe. Where is father?" The horse neighed in response, clearly still reeling from whatever had happened. Levy tried her best to calm her friend down before saying, "Felipe, please take me to him." Roughly throwing her book into her satchel, she lifted herself up into Felipe's saddle and the two took off through the woods.

END CHAPTER 3

. . .

 **Hello my darlings!**

 **We're definitely getting there! I was so tempted to write the Laxus smut scene here but you'll all just have to wait for the next chapter for that. Oh, you didn't think I was going to actually write that scene out? Well then you apparently don't know me all that well. *Grins evilly.**

 **So, the Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne is actually one of my favorite "legend" sort of tales and I thought it would be kind of fun to incorporate that story into this story. Levy and Grainne have some similarities and also some differences that relate to Levy's own insecurities so I thought it would be kind of fun to parallel the tales here.**

 **As tempting as it is to portray Laxus as an insufferable ass in this tale like Gaston was, I'm trying to get away from that for a couple of reasons. The first is that I really don't believe that anyone is 100% an asshole lol. I think that there are always underlying reasons for it and if you dig a little deeper you can generally find the good in a person. For some people, you may have to really dig but I do believe it's there! Second, I really hate stories where the bad guy is just "bad" for no reason. I often find myself asking, why is he so bad? What's his motivation? No one is just evil for the fun of it, so what's his deal? So I definitely did not want to fall into the same trap here. Plus it's a fun challenge to add character depth to someone who is supposed to be superficial.**

 **Also, something very important to me is the way I portray Levy in this. One of the things I LOVED about the original tale was that Belle was always gracious to Gaston, even when he was being terrible. While she stood up for what she wanted, she was never rude about it. I was sad to see that that didn't carry over too well in the live action. Don't get me wrong, I thought the remake was good, but I thought that the graciousness of Belle's character was missing from EW's portrayal. I have lots of opinions about female protagonists. Don't even get me started on Wonder Woman…**

 **Hope you guys are loving this because I am enjoying writing it! Updates should hopefully be soon! I won't promise you a schedule because the moment I do that, I know I won't stick to it!**

 **Thanks to all my initial reviewers! Hearts and kisses to you all!**

 **Love you!**

 **Musicera**

 **PS The cover image for this story is by Blanania. Go check out her work on Deviantart. Really amazing stuff!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Four's Company"

. . .

 _Before stepping through the threshold, Laxus looked back to give a shout to his friend only to find him rather occupied, pressing the little white-haired bar maid up against the counter with his tongue down her throat. And with that, the man turned his attention back to his three women and escorted them away from the increasingly rowdy tavern towards his home and bed._

. . .

There was no questioning that Laxus had a way with women. With his impressive height, strong build and family status, women from all over constantly flocked to him. He surmised that some of them thought that if they could successfully seduce him into their bed, they would for sure land a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, for these women, they didn't know Laxus well enough, because that's not how he worked.

Laxus was a hunter and above all, enjoyed the hunt. The challenge of fleeing prey brought testosterone coursing through his veins and gave him a high unlike any other experience. He saw women in much the same light. They were prey and they were only fun to play with while giving chase. A fox that willingly lays herself down at his feet did absolutely nothing for him.

Now, that isn't to say that he wouldn't willingly give the woman the satisfaction of experiencing him for one night. That is a gift he was happy to give over and over and over again.

As he walked his women back to his large house on the edge of town, he contemplated how he was going to enjoy each of them and all of them together. Evergreen was possessive around him—as evidenced by her upset about him potentially leaving with other women. Enno was rather ditzy and was generally willing to do whatever was asked of her. Laxus smirked to himself as he thought back to some of the things those two had done that other people might consider uncouth.

And finally there was Cana—ahh, beautiful Cana. She was feisty and fearless when it came to all things sexual. She wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted yet she had this wonderful sensuality to her that made Laxus strangely alright with giving up some control to her—some, not all.

As they finally entered his house through his grandiose oak front door, he kicked off his shoes. He rarely brought women to his home, opting for the local inn instead. But with three women, he'd rather not bring unwanted attention to himself for the evening and be left in peace.

He smirked as he sees Enno and Evergreen looking around his place in wonder. Cana was the exception—Laxus had brought her to his house many times before and never thought much of it. The tall blond walked across the large foyer to the sitting area on the right. He poured himself a drink from the drink cart, before turning around to ask if any of his guests wanted a refresher. He was surprised when Cana had snuck up behind him and had reached for his drink.

He turned to look at her and she gave him a coy smile as she brought the cup to her lips, letting it linger before slamming it back. Placing the cup back down on the tray, Laxus couldn't help but smash his lips forcefully against hers. She moaned as his tongue licked the alcohol from her mouth.

The male brought his large, calloused hand into the small of her back while his other pressed against her neck. Just as he was about to walk her a few steps to their right to press her into the wall, the brunette pushed him back. His eyes narrowed as she gave him a sultry smile before walking over to Enno and Evergreen who were sitting on the large sofa.

Evergreen seemed somewhat miffed that Laxus had chosen to start with Cana but this didn't affect her confidence. She lifted herself from the couch before grabbing Laxus' wrist, directing him to sit where she had been sitting. Hiking her dress up against her thighs, she straddled the large man while Cana began to toy with Enno beside them.

As expected, Enno was the first to lose her top. Cana deftly untied her bra from around her neck and back and Laxus watched in delight as her bountiful breasts sprang free. Tossing the offending material aside, Cana reached her hands up to caress the woman's chest.

But Laxus' attention was ripped away from the erotic scene by the woman currently straddling his lap. Evergreen had removed her glasses and allowed her hair to fall freely over her shoulders. She truly was beautiful when she relaxed like this. Laxus lunged forward to capture her lips before trailing hot kisses down her jawline. Finally moving to her collarbone, she began to squirm against him. He continued his torture, sucking the skin of her neck harshly into his mouth, being sure to leave his mark while enjoying the friction she was giving to his already erect manhood.

His large hands caressed up both of Evergreen's sides before he tucked his fingers into her dress and pulling down, freeing her bosom for him. Laxus was greedy and he moved his lips off her collarbone to her chest immediately. The woman above him was moaning wantonly as he alternated between flicking and sucking her nipples with his skilled tongue.

A light touch on his face distracted him from his work and he turned his head to see a fully exposed Enno begging for his attention. Her hair was tussled and her lips were swollen; it was clear that Cana had been having some fun with her while he was preoccupied. One hand stayed on Ever's breasts, tweaking her hardened peak between his thumb and fingers while the other he lifted and grasped tightly behind Enno's neck. He brought her head over to his and kissed her deeply, invading her mouth with his tongue by force. She didn't put up a fight, relenting to him so he could taste her. Interestingly enough she carried the taste of the drink Cana had shotgunned earlier.

The brunette herself caught his eye as she began to climb over Enno's form. She was still wearing her bra but had been stripped down to her panties on the bottom. The sight made Laxus harder, if that were even possible. She locked eyes with him before she darted her tongue out, letting it trace Enno's entire body, starting at her backside, up her side and finally to her neck, close to where Laxus was himself.

The purple haired beauty moaned into his mouth before releasing to come up for air. Cana seized the opportunity, pulling him in for a mind blowing kiss before pulling back once more. She brought her fingers up to her lips, licking them slowly before letting them trace Enno's backside. With a moan, she slid her fingers into Enno's slick folds to begin working her up.

The woman groaned loudly as she allowed herself to collapse into the couch, clearly wanting to relax and enjoy Cana's ministrations. The brunette encouraged Enno to turn over, resulting in the best show Laxus had ever seen. While still working Evergreen on his lap, to his right was Enno laid bare with Cana above her, fingers thrusting in and out of her core. Her breasts bounced lightly with the effort and the woman was a moaning pile of satisfaction within a few minutes.

Cana pulled her fingers back once the woman had come down from her high, forcing them into Enno's mouth so that she could clean her essence off the brunette. Turning his attention back to the brunette on his lap, he reached around her, bunching the material of her dress and bringing it up over her head so that she too was completely bared to him, save for her panties.

He smirked, knowing he was going to destroy those within the next few minutes. Evergreen gasped when he stood up suddenly, helping place her on the floor in front of her. Cana didn't need any encouragement, moving deftly off the couch to stand before him. She started undressing him, first his shirt, button by button. Laxus couldn't get enough of this brunette tonight; the way she handled Enno so easily was such a turn on to him.

His lips crashed against hers again and she continued to move her hands down his body, ridding himself of his clothing. Evergreen worked his bet off, pulling his trousers down with his briefs so that his manhood was finally allowed to spring free. Cana slid her hands down his massively built chest, over the intricate tattoo that decorated his left pectoral, before finally kneeling in front of him with Evergreen.

Grasping his manhood in one hand, with the other hand, she brought Evergreen's face towards Laxus, encouraging her to start. Cana kept her eyes locked with Laxus' the entire time she did this and the man nearly came right then and there. The two women took turns taking him in their mouths before they started licking him together, kissing his erection between themselves.

Laxus cursed. He'd had enough with all this teasing and he wanted his release. Bending down, he encouraged Evergreen to shift so that she was kneeling against the couch on her knees. He pulled Enno from the couch, still clearly reeling from her earlier release, into the same position. He was about to move Cana, but the brunette wagged her finger at him, before she discarded her panties and sat herself, core facing Enno, on the couch in front of him.

"Fuck," Laxus breathed, as she reached into the woman's hair, pulling her face forward to encourage her to lick her core. Laxus' own hand came up, licking his palm, before letting the moisture coat his manhood. He pulled Evergreen's panties down to her knees before lining himself up. In one swift motion he thrust himself into the chestnut-haired beauty. The woman nearly screamed at the sudden intrusion, having been given no warning. Laxus didn't wait for her to adjust; he started pumping himself into her with abandon.

Cana was smirking and biting her lower lip as Enno continued to lick her wet folds. She loved watching Laxus work while at the same time feeling the pleasure of a mouth on her like this. Before long, Laxus switched to thrust into the woman before her. Enno gasped, having not realized what was about to happen, being too preoccupied with the sight before her.

The woman tried to lift her face from Cana's core but the brunette held her head there firmly as Laxus pounded into her, letting the rhythm of his thrusts move her tongue against her dripping core. Laxus placed one foot on the floor, before reaching his hand up to grasp Cana round the neck, bringing her close to him. "I want to fuck you, Cana," he husked as he continued his pace inside Enno.

"Later," Cana whispered back to him before pushing herself back into the embrace of the couch and reaching down to rub her own clit while Enno lifted fingers to enter her core.

Evergreen moved up onto the couch with Cana and the two women began kissing and rubbing each other's cores as Enno finally got a break from licking Cana's pussy. The two women on the couch began to tense up, clearly showing signs of their imminent release. Evergreen climaxed first, a result of Cana's skilled fingers knowing exactly where to push. But the Brunette's end wasn't all that far off, using her own fingers to finish the job when Evergreen all but collapsed from exertion.

Laxus was feeling his release as well, his movements becoming more sporadic as he forcefully thrust into Enno having fisted his hands in her hair, causing her breasts to bounce wildly. He knew he didn't have much time, as he pulled out of Enno. Cana moved to turn Enno around and encourage her to move up onto the couch aside Evergreen. The woman willingly allowed herself to be moved. Cana smirked before finally standing next to Laxus, grabbing his manhood and pumping him, matching the speed with which he had been working. Laxus arm snaked around the brunette, hugging her curvaceous body against his muscular one closely.

The man finally reached his limit, letting out a "Fuck, Cana!" before she directed his essence onto the two women, relaxing in the afterglow of their own release. Cana's movements slowed and once Laxus had caught his breath, he turned to kiss her deeply one last time. As he pulled back she bit his lip lightly before playfully whispering, "You're a fucking beast."

. . .

The two women on the couch had promptly passed out after their release, whether solely from their release or more likely from a combination of that plus the alcohol they had consumed. Laxus had headed up to take a shower in his master suite after Cana had left to get some water from the kitchen.

Upon entering his bedroom after rinsing off, the sight that greeted him rather surprised him. There was Cana, completely naked, laying across his bed, pleasuring herself. Laxus strode over to her, removing the towel from his body to throw it over his shoulder, allowing himself to go completely bare as well.

"What are you doing up here?" he asked flatly. Cana had definitely come over to his house before but he had never asked her into his bedroom. Sure they'd fucked on the couch, counter, coffee table and once against the piano but never in his bedroom. He didn't allow people to invade his private space—he didn't like it.

Cana peeked an eye open at him, continuing her ministrations. Her breasts were so perfect in the low light of the evening, bouncing slightly as she worked herself up and down. It made it hard for him to stay angry at the woman. "Thought you said you wanted to fuck me, Laxus," she moaned. "I was just getting myself ready for you."

The beast inside him won out over his own misgivings about her being in his room and he quickly found himself between her thighs, tasting her very essence.

END CHAPTER 4

. . .

 **Hello Lovers!**

 **So for those of you who haven't read my other story, this chapter should pretty well clue you into what I LOVE to write. This was so dirty you guys. Seriously. The entire time I was typing this I was just thinking, "Wow! This is dirty even for me. I mean I love it but seriously!" I think I shocked even myself!**

 **Hope you enjoyed some serious Laxus x Cana x Enno x Evergreen fun! Whoot! Don't worry, I will be elaborating on the scene between Laxus and Cana as well as Bickslow and Lisanna. Not going to lie, I don't really like Lisanna as a character but I love Bickslow so it just made sense to put her here. I'll put up with her character for a chance to write Bickslow smut.**

 **Hope you guys are liking the story so far. I understand this chapter had zero plot. Maybe a hint of some character development (perhaps perhaps) but no plot haha. I was about to write the next plot scene into this chapter but it just didn't make sense to put them together so I'll get that posted separately soon. Some of it is already written so fear not, an update should not take too long!**

 **Loving you all! Thanks to all of those who have favorited, followed and reviewed. You guys are awesome.**

 **Kisses to you all!**

 **Musicera**


	5. Chapter 5

"Black Steel"

 _. . ._

 _Makarov sighed a breath of relief before looking through the iron bars to see Felipe, successfully fleeing the creatures through the woods. His heart ached for the loss of his friend but he hoped the horse had a better sense of direction than he did and might be able to find his way back home._

. . .

Picking himself up off the ground, Maki turned around to see where he had ended up and momentarily lost his breath again. He faced what appeared to be a mighty fortress that had fallen into great disrepair.

Comprised of five concentric levels, stacked one on top of the other. Each level sported large windows every few feet that, despite their faded appearance, had once been painted a deep red. Large black iron spires overwhelmed his vision. Looking closely, he could see that the designs were incredibly intricate at the base before tapering into high steeples. It was clear that this structure had once been rather magnificent but had fallen into neglect over the years. Many of the spires were sporting heavy rust stains that had run red over the building's original cream-colored façade.

Despite the eerie silence that fell over the fortress, Makarov had no choice but to venture inside and seek help if he was to escape the suddenly frigid temperatures. Taking uncertain steps up to the large front door, he knocked, hoping to be received. Bringing his hand down, he looked at the large oak door in front of him. In rusted metal, there was a symbol on the door. It was hard to make out but appeared to be some sort of cursive letter with a large circle in its center.

Not hearing an answer, Makarov knocked again and was surprised when the door opened at his touch. "Hello?" he called out tentatively before stepping inside gingerly. He turned to his left, thinking he heard the faintest whisper of voices but all he saw was a table sporting an antique candelabra and intricate champagne cooler.

"I don't mean to intrude but, I've lost my horse and I need a place to stay for the night." The old man looked around the castle. It was completely dark inside except for the lights burning on the candle. "That's odd," Makarov said, walking towards the little table, "I don't recall this candle being lit." He scratched his head before turning around to try and peer into the darkness.

"Of course you're welcome here!" a male voice called out cheerily from somewhere nearby.

"Who said that?" the man exclaimed, grabbing the candelabra and holding it up, in hopes to light up the room.

"Over here!" the voice said. Maki turned, still not seeing anyone. This whole thing was really starting to frighten him. Feeling a tap on his head, the candelabra itself spoke to him, with a rather cheeky, "Hello, Gramps!"

Out of sheer surprise, the man dropped the object. It hit the floor with a thump, extinguishing its lights before standing up and dusting itself off, relighting its flames. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Maki exclaimed, leaning down to help the object up. Concern overcame fright as he helped to place the flame holder back onto the table.

"Just great, Natsu," the ice bucket said, turning to the candleholder. "Fuckin' great."

"Incredible!" Makarov exclaimed as he watched the silver antique come to life. It was about the same size as the candelabra with great silver handles that turned into arms as he spoke. The base of the structure had fluting; much like his partner and the face of the object was sporting an irritable look.

"What the?" the chiller said as Maki moved to pick the object up.

"How is this accomplished?" the elderly man said, turning the thing in its hands. As an inventor, he simply had to understand how these objects were able to speak to him like this! Suddenly, his hands grew extremely cold and he was forced to drop the bucket, much to the object's continuing anger. "Ah!" the man exclaimed, attempting to warm his hands.

"Serves you right," the icer said, picking himself back up.

"Don't mind Gray," the candle said cheerfully. "He's that cold to everyone. Here!" the candelabra blew his flames high so that Maki had to step back quickly lest risk getting seriously burned. "Oops," the object said with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that. Just tryin' to get you warmed back up."

"No, no. It's quite alright," Makarov replied. "Although, I am rather cold."

"Well come on then," the flames on the candelabra grew in excitement as he led the man to the right towards a great room with a grandiose fireplace. "Warm yourself by the fire," he said, shooting flames into the structure before it roared to life.

"Oh, why thank you," Maki said, sitting himself down in the chair before the flames.

"Geez, Natsu. This isn't good," the bucket huffed, following the two of them into the new room. "If Black Steel finds out about this, he's gonna flip."

"Black Steel?" the white-haired man inquired.

"Oh, don't worry about that big grump!" a sweet and cheerful female voice exclaimed. The man turned to see a serving cart wheeling its way out before stopping beside his chair. Upon it was the most beautiful teapot he had ever seen. It gleamed silver in the low light and it had a handle that started from the base and tapered off into a long tail, curved above the body of the object. "How about something hot to drink to warm you up?" it asked.

The man stumbled over his words. "Why, yes. Uh, thank you!"

The little pot poured boiling water into a teacup before adding some lemon and whiskey. "Wendy dear," it said, referring to the little blue sugar pot beside it, "be a dear, would you?"

"Sure thing, Mira!" it said in an equally charming voice, before hopping over to stir in a heaping teaspoon of sugar.

"Here you go sir. One hot toddy! That should make you feel better!" The teapot had the sweetest face and smile, if that were even possible to say about a teapot. Maki took the teacup before taking a sip.

"This is really excellent!" he complimented before being startled again when the teacup itself came to life.

"His mustache tickles, Mira!"

"Romeo! Please behave," the teapot chided the cup.

"Sorry, Mira," the teacup apologized. Makarov watched the whole exchange with interest. It was as if the pot had suddenly changed character, turning a darker color with hints of red, the handle whipping slightly like a tail, before completely returning to its sweet disposition.

Suddenly, a blue throw pillow meandered its way from the other side of the room, jumping up onto the armrest of Makarov's chair. The man laughed as it reached out to scratch the back of what he could only assume was some sort of cat.

"You all need to knock this shit off," the ice bucket said, coming closer to the group. "I don't want to deal with a pissed off Black Steel and neither should you!" he said, pointing at them all in turn.

As if his words had conjured that fate itself, an eerie silence fell upon the room, and the shadows seemed to grow, dousing the flames of the fire. All the objects seemed to cower slightly as Makarov felt the presence of a great beast enter the room.

"Uh oh," the little sugar pot said, hiding behind the teapot.

A low growl filled the room and Makarov began to shake slightly in the chair, feeling the chill through his bones once more. "There's a stranger here," the low voice said in a menacing tone.

Natsu, the candelabra stepped forward, still sporting his brilliant flames and matching smile. "The guy was lost in the woods, Black Steel. We couldn't just leave him out there!"

The beast merely roared louder in response to the flame's words. The ice bucket chimed in, saying "I was against this crap from the start," but his words only invoked another loud roar from the beast.

Makarov turned to see what it was that was behind him, but instead he came face to face with glowing crimson eyes. "Who are you, what are you doing here?" the creature bellowed at the elderly man.

Makarov quickly left the chair, trying to back away from the creature. "I was lost in the woods," he started to try and explain.

"YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" the monster roared before roughly grabbing the man by the scruff of his collar. Makarov felt the coldness of metal touching against his skin as he was lifted into the air. From his new height, he could finally see the beast that stood before him. His eyes widened in shock as he looked upon the iron dragon before him. "So you've come to stare at the cursed Black Steel, is that it?" it roared.

Makarov tried his best to shake his head before saying, "Please, I meant no harm. I just needed a place to stay!"

"I'll give you a place to stay!" the monster bellowed before wrapping his tail around the man. Keeping him hoisted in the air as Makarov struggled to free himself in his weakened state, the dragon began to bound through the castle before throwing him roughly into the highest tower.

Before Makarov was able to get to his feet, he felt himself being pushed against the cold stone of the tower wall as his arms were splayed to either side. He felt tears prick his eyes as heavy metal clasps closed over his wrists, pinning him in place against the wall, with his feet barely able to reach the ground.

"Make yourself comfortable," the dragon said with a sinister laugh before slamming the door behind him. Makarov tried to keep his eyes open but he felt the effects of his encounter with the Vulcans coupled with his bone chilling cold start to take effect. His eyes closed as he finally lost consciousness.

. . .

"What are you doing up here?" Laxus asked Cana, who was on his bed, attending to herself.

The beautiful brunette peaked an eye open at him without breaking her movements. "I thought you said you wanted to fuck me, Laxus," she moaned. "I was just getting myself ready for you."

The beast inside him won out over his own misgivings about her being in his room. He smirked before leaning over her frame to push her back further on his bed. "I am going to fuck you, Cana," he drawled. "Good luck walking tomorrow."

She gasped at his words before his face buried itself between her thighs. She was already extremely wet from earlier, having never truly come down from that high. She had loved watching a beast of a man like Laxus pound into the other two women from her spot above them on the couch. Just thinking about it got her even wetter.

She'd felt the man's tongue on her before and she absolutely loved it. He was circling her folds languidly before alternating between teasing her entrance and her clit. She brought her hands up to squeeze her own heavy breasts, increasing her pleasure. Laxus' fingers entered her as he concentrated his licks on that sensitive bundle of nerves. She moaned as she began to feel the walls of her core clench and unclench in anticipation of what was to come. The two of them had experienced each other enough times now that Laxus knew how her body worked. He followed that sensitive spot inside her up with his finger as it moved slightly higher as she stepped closer and closer to that edge.

He finally pressed his finger into it hard and she came, screaming out his name as he slowed his movements to gentle circles, bringing her down easily. He loved watching her come. Her whole body would tighten with the strain before she finally would breathe deep and physically allow the waves of pleasure to roll through her.

Not only did he love watching her come, but he loved how agreeable the woman became after an orgasm. She generally let him move her and do with her what he pleased while she stayed in her hazy, happy afterglow.

And he planned to do just that. Rounding the other side of the bed, he reached down to grab both wrists and pulled her towards him so that her head hung off the bed just slightly. He pumped himself a few times before bringing his manhood to her mouth. He loved this position. From here, he could see her entire form, bouncing in response to his thrusting as she pleasured him with her mouth. She willingly opened her lips to his erection, sucking her teeth in as he started to thrust into her mouth with abandon.

Looking down, her breasts were bouncing wildly and he brought his hands down, one on each of them, as he continued to fuck her face. She was moaning around his length and it only made him that much harder and caused him to thrust that much faster.

He finally pulled out of her sweet mouth because he wanted to do so much more to this woman before he met his end. He moved himself up onto the bed and roughly flipped her over onto her stomach. Reaching down, he pulled one of her wrists against her back before ruthlessly pushing his length between her folds. His other hand came to push down on the back of her neck and he pumped into her with abandon. She groaned into the pillows of his bed as he forcefully slapped his thighs against her rear. The room was filled with the noise of their coupling and he loved it. She was the only woman in town that let him truly let go and have his way with her like this. He figured that's why he hadn't gotten bored of her, even after having fucked her multiple times.

Her walls were still fluttering from her recent release and it felt amazing on his cock between thrusts. He started thrusting deeper, hitting her cervix each time as she gasped in a combination of pain and pleasure. "Oh, yes. Fuck me, Laxus! You know I love it," she moaned as he continued to drive into her.

"You fucking bitch, you love my cock, don't you?" he groaned.

"You know I do, Laxus. Fuck my tight cunt as hard as you want!" she moaned out.

God he loved it when she talked like this. She never shied away from his dirty talk. Other women would just stay silent after he said something like that but she was always so quick to match his filthy mouth. He felt the signs of his impending release and he moved his hands to grab the sides of her hips, leveraging himself as he slammed into her over and over and over again.

Finally, he thrust deep, allowing himself to release his seed deep inside. "You're _my_ fucking whore!" he roared as he felt the waves of his second climax move through his body.

"Oh god, Laxus! Yes!" was all the woman was able to exclaim before collapsing herself. The two laid panting on the bed next to each other for some time before Cana got up and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Laxus groaned, rolling over on the bed, wanting to instantly fall asleep from the days' activities. When the woman finally came back out, she started putting her clothes back on.

He turned to her, raising his eyebrow. "Leaving?"

She gave him a small smile before saying, "I know how this all works."

"Forget that. Just get back here," he grunted. He'd thrown his arm over his eyes so he missed the look of shock that passed over Cana's face before turning into a warm smile. Looking down at the man in front of her she had to remind herself not to get too attached. The Laxus she knew would never want someone like her long term.

Cana was the illegitimate child of Gildarts Clive. Gildarts was a successful salesman who travelled around the Kingdom. Even the Dreyars had hired him to sell their latest invention when it was ready because he was the best. But he had left her mother to start his career right before she had been born. As far as Cana knew, he wasn't even aware her mother had passed. She figured he wouldn't want to be reminded of the product of his failed relationship.

So as she climbed into Laxus' large, rather comfortable bed, she willed herself not to think about how good it felt when he placed his arm around her and hugged her close to his chest.

END CHAPTER 5

. . .

 **Hello smut kittens!**

 **I know no Levy in this chapter but all good things come to those who wait! Cause next chapter we finally get to witness their long fated meeting. Wooo this is a slow burn huh? Didn't intend it that way. Go blame Madame de Villeneuve cause she was the one who wrote the story. Cool huh? No! It wasn't written by Disney!**

 **I love me some Laxus smut, so in fulfilling my own desires, have some more! Don't lie, you love it. All you Gajevy fans out there secretly read Laxus smut when you think no one's looking. It's okay, you're secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone I promise! The two men are very much alike: regretful, brooding, tall, muscled. It's okay to like him you know?**

 **Hmm, personally I love me some dirty talk, which is why I put it in here. Hope it didn't shock too many of you. I think it's wonderful and I'm driving this train sooooo :p**

 **Fun fact: I styled the castle after Loha Prasat (translated Metal Castle) in Thailand. Go look it up! It's beautiful and a World Heritage Sight! See who said you couldn't learn something while you read dirty smut!**

 **Gonna be traveling over the next three weeks so we'll see how much writing I can get done. Hopefully it will be more frequent but it all depends on how this crazy road trip works out!**

 **Kisses!  
Musicera**


	6. Chapter 6

"The Meeting"

. . .

Bickslow was vaguely aware of Laxus exiting the tavern surrounded by three women, but he was far too occupied with the barmaid in front of him to care much. With his exotic look and fun loving attitude, Bickslow was usually quite popular with women himself, however as of late, he seemed fixated on the white haired beauty he was currently kissing intensely.

This was the first time she let him get so far with her and he was soaking up every minute of it. Most of the women he'd been with were open books right from the start, ready to spread their pages, but Lisanna was shy and inexperienced. As a result, his usual methods didn't work on her timid nature. Bickslow didn't mind though, he saw it as a challenge with the most wonderful reward at the end.

As soon as Laxus had left his chair to hang out with Cana, Bickslow had returned to the bar, sitting right in front of the little barmaid. She'd asked him if he needed another beer but he just smiled and shook his head. "Nah, just enjoying the view from this perch," he said coyly.

The girl blushed and tried to hide her smile. "God she's cute," Bickslow thought to himself. There was something in him that just wanted to throw her down on his bed, rip her clothes off and show her everything she was missing. But he knew he had to take it slow with her, make her want him, and he could do that—he could wait for her.

"So are you just going to sit there all night staring at me?" the silver-haired maid said to him cheekily, pulling him out of his daydreaming.

Bickslow smirked, "Why? Is that what you were hoping for?"

She looked flustered. "What? No—I," she fumbled over her words.

Bickslow continued to tease her. "Because usually people don't say things unless it's on their mind. Am I on your mind Lisanna?" he said smoothly.

She stepped back against the counter behind her. She looked as if she were trying to decide what to say. Finally, she met his gaze, "I guess, a little bit," she said quietly.

"I'll take a little then," said Bickslow while getting up from his seat. With ease and grace the man hoped over the bar to reach the girl on the other side. He pinned her against the counter, taking in her subtle perfume. This was the first time he had been this close to her and he wanted to cherish the moment. He could feel her body tense against him. "Relax," he whispered softly against her ear. He'd known that a lot of the drunks in the tavern had tried to get handsy with her. He'd seen it himself a few times. The thing Lisanna didn't know is that those guys didn't make it home in one piece after he was done with them.

He brushed a finger against her cheek before slowly leaning in to touch his lips to hers. She froze for a moment but didn't push him away. He started to work his lips over hers, trying to entice her to respond, which she did. It was like ice turning to fire. One moment she was cold and still and the next moment her intensity had surprised even Bickslow.

Lisanna had secretly harbored a crush on the exotic looking man for the longest time, but she always considered herself far too meek and inexperienced to catch his eye. She saw the types of women he and Laxus went home with and she knew she wasn't one of those women. She'd never even been with a guy, didn't know the first thing about what to do and the whole thing frightened her. Even still, she dreamed about being able to experience a man like Bickslow. So when he started obviously flirting with her, she was never all too certain how to respond. But she tried to keep it light and encourage him without seeming easy. She was far too timid to make the first move but she always hoped that he saw her as more than just a girl to tease.

So when Bickslow actually jumped the bar to come over and kiss her, she was elated. It took her a moment to pull out of the shock that his lips were on her before she responded with all the lust and want for this man that she had built up over the past several months.

She opened her mouth willingly when she felt his tongue slide against her lips and shivered as his hands started to roam her body over her clothes. She moaned softly into his mouth when his hands traveled further south, cupping her backside and squeezing the flesh there.

Bickslow watched Laxus leave out of the corner of his eye but returned his attention to the girl in front of him when she started wrapping her leg around his, trying to get him to push her further into the counter. Their game of back and forth continued for another hot minute before a stern voice sounded in the tavern.

"Lisanna!" The girl pulled away at the sound of Erza's voice, trying hard to catch her breath and right her somewhat messed up appearance.

Despite trying to push him off, Bickslow stayed glued to the girl against the counter. "Who the hell are you?" Bickslow raised his eyebrow at the red head that was standing in front of the pair.

"I am Erza Scarlet and I am the owner of this establishment," she said in a commanding tone. The woman herself looked fairly formidable. Tall, with striking red hair past her waist, she wore a simple white blouse and blue skirt with black knee high boots. Her brown eyes leveled a heavy glare at Bickslow. "And that is my employee that you are manhandling," she said pointing at Lisanna.

Bickslow chuckled, turning so he was leaning next to Lisanna. "I would say the handling was mutual." Lisanna smacked his arm lightly and he just winked at her in response.

"Lisanna is a fine young maid, untouched by men like you. She will make someone a very good wife in the future and I will not have you ruining her chances at happiness for a one night roll in the hay," Erza said pointedly.

"Geez," Bickslow said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're all so uptight down here."

"What do you mean, down here?" Erza said, narrowing her eyes at him.

Bickslow sighed, "Nevermind." No one but Laxus knew, considering how unwelcoming this town was to outsiders, but Bickslow wasn't even born in Fiore. He was actually from the neighboring country of Bosco, where things were quite different.

Unlike in Fiore, people were extremely open and accepting regarding sex. It was not seen as something immoral or impure but rather it was seen as something pleasurable. It had been a complete shock to Bickslow when he arrived in Fiore how prudish and closed minded the country was. Everything in Fiore seemed backwards; people refrained from having sex while they were young and unmarried but then would commit adultery once they got married. It made no sense. In Bosco, people were encouraged to have all the fun they wanted _before_ they got married but once they were, fidelity was sacrosanct.

He sighed, turning to Lisanna, "I guess I should let you get back to work, huh?"

The girl looked completely crestfallen. "Oh, um—yeah, okay," she said, softly.

Bickslow hated Erza's eyes on the two of them so to the woman's absolute disdain, he moved himself in front of her, blocking her view of Lisanna. He pulled the barmaid's hair back and whispered into her ear, "Meet me tomorrow night, by where the horses graze."

The girl pulled back, smiling up at him before nodding her head in understanding. With that, he turned back to Erza, bowing low in jest, "Ma'am," he said before launching himself up and over the bar top and out the front door.

. . .

 _Before Makarov was able to get to his feet, he felt himself being pushed against the cold stone of the tower wall as his arms were splayed to either side. He felt tears prick his eyes as heavy metal clasps closed over his wrists, pinning him in place against the wall, with his feet barely able to reach the ground._

 _"Make yourself comfortable," the dragon said with a sinister laugh before slamming the door behind him. Makarov tried to keep his eyes open but he felt the effects of his encounter with the Vulcans coupled with his bone chilling cold start to take effect. His eyes closed as he finally lost consciousness._

. . .

Felipe rode quickly through the forest as Levy did her best to hold on tightly. The path was extremely overgrown, with branches hanging down low, threatening to push her to the ground if she wasn't careful. After what seemed like an eternity, the pair finally arrived in front of a tall, iron gate. "What is this place?" Levy wondered out loud.

Her companion seemed nervous about their surroundings, trampling the ground and neighing loudly. Levy dismounted to calm her friend down, but feeling quite uneasy herself. Turning herself around, she pushed against the gate, watching as it creaked its way open. Taking a few steps into the compound, she looked down to see a piece of her father's cloak on the ground. "Papa!" she exclaimed, running forward to examine the material.

With renewed determination, Levy rose to her feet and walked up the front steps to the impressive structure. Felipe followed her a few feet before taking shelter beneath a nearby tree. Levy gulped as she walked the worn steps before pushing open the worn oak door. "Hello?" she said softly into the rather large foyer. "Is anyone here?" She took a few steps further, bringing herself fully into the castle. "Hello?" she called out again. "Papa? Are you here?"

She wasn't quite sure where to start looking. The fortress itself was incredibly dark inside. Looking forward, she could barely make out a large set of stairs. Grasping the railing for support, she tentatively took herself further into this strange place, calling out for her father all the while. At the top of the stairs, she reached a landing with impressive hallways stretching out in both directions.

Standing there, trying to decide which way to turn, she heard the creak of a door to her left. "Papa?" She followed the sound through a rather dingy looking wooden door. "I could have sworn I heard someone," she muttered to herself. A chill ran through her as she felt herself being watched.

Walking through the door she realized she must have climbed into one of the spires, for the floors were no longer covered in any carpeting and there was a complete lack of décor. She coughed as dust flew into her throat. In front of her, a lit candelabra sat on a small table. Grabbing it quickly, she began to climb the stone steps up the spire.

The soft call of her name echoed through the stone structure. "Levy?" it called to her.

"Papa!" she exclaimed, running as quickly as she could up the stairs. Reaching the summit, she put the light down next to her only to find her father pinned to the wall with iron shackles, clearly shivering in the cold.

"How did you find me?" the man said softly, trying to open his eyes to see his daughter.

Levy tried to give the small man a hug before pulling back to look at the shackles. "We have to get you out of here!" she said as her father fell into a fit of coughing.

"Levy," he said urgently. "I want you to leave this place!"

His daughter was distraught and angry. "Who's done this to you?"

"There's no time to explain!" he responded. "You must go! Now!"

Levy shook her head, her blue locks swaying from side to side. "I won't leave you!" As soon as the words left her mouth, something heavy landed on her shoulder, throwing her to the ground, knocking the candle and extinguishing the little light that it provided.

"What are you doing here?" a feral voice growled at her from the shadows.

"Who's there?" she backed herself up against the wall as her father yelled for her to run. "Who are you?"

"I am the master of this castle," the voice replied, staying completely hidden.

There was no use running and besides, Levy would never leave her father in this situation. "I've come for my father. Please, let him out. Can't you see he's sick?" she pleaded.

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!" the voice smirked in response.

"He could die! Please! I'll do anything." She was beginning to lose hope that she was going to be able to get her father out of this situation. Whatever this thing was seemed to enjoy the fact that someone else was in pain.

"There's nothing you can do," it goaded. "He's _my_ prisoner."

Levy felt despair creep into her mind. "Oh, there must be some way I could—" She felt the thing's presence start to leave the room. "Wait!" she shouted after it frantically. "Take me instead!" The words left her mouth before she had fully thought them through, but she didn't regret them.

"You!" the thing laughed at her before pausing briefly. Then, as if in disbelief it asked, "You would take his place?"

"Levy! No!" her father pleaded her. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Levy tried to keep her thoughts straight as she shivered against the cold stone of the wall. "If I do, will you let my father go?"

Her opponent seemed intrigued. "Yes," it almost whispered. "But in return, you must promise to stay here _forever_." It put emphasis on the last word, as if trying to test her will.

Levy hesitated. Could she really give up her entire life like this? Her father coughed and she turned to look at him. She knew that if she didn't do this, he would die. It had been him that had saved her all those years ago; taking her in when she lost everything. She felt honored to be able to repay his kindness. But before she agreed, she wanted to see who her captor was. "Come into the light," she said softly.

The being stepped forward into the small pool of moonlight that crept through the one window in the spire. What Levy saw made her gasp. She was staring into the red eyes of an enormous dragon. He stood almost upright, as if he could walk on two legs, but he was clearly all beast. Iron scales adorned his entire body and long talons extended from his hands and feet. Silvery horns extended out of his head and she could barely see a long, spiked tail lying against the floor behind him.

She cleared her throat, standing to her full height in front of him and held the creature's gaze. Those crimson eyes looked at her intently, as if waiting for her to make the next move. Levy took a deep breath before saying, "You have my word."

"Done!" the creature snarled, storming over to her father. With a scrape of each talon, his shackles broke free and the sickly man fell heavy on the stone floor. Levy tried to go to him but the dragon had already lifted him up and was storming through the castle.

"Wait!" she cried out, trying to follow them, but the creature was too fast. Before she was able to make it down the stairs, he had already shut the door to the spire, locking her inside. All the while her father was begging the creature not to do this but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Running back up the stairs, Levy lifted herself up so she could peer through the small window. She watched as the brute threw her father into what appeared to be a small wooden box, before the thing sprouted legs and began to crawl off towards her village. She let out a sob and fell to the floor as she heard the door to the tower open again. "You didn't even let me say goodbye," she yelled at the beast. "I'll never get to say goodbye," she repeated softly to herself.

"Hey would have abandoned you anyways," Gajeel scoffed. "People can't be trusted," he said softly, as if almost to himself.

Levy looked up from her sniffling, dusting off and picking herself up off the floor. "So what now? Are you going to keep me here in this tower forever?" She cringed inwardly, expecting the arrogant creature to say yes.

"What? You wanna' stay in the tower?" he looked at her incredulously.

Her brown eyes met his crimson ones and she slowly shook her head, looking down. "No," she replied softly.

"Well then follow me," the beast grunted, turning so that his scales scraped against the cold floor. Levy followed after him, trying to keep pace with his quick bounds. She looked around as they walked. The fortress seemed rather utilitarian. Lit sconces lined the walls of the hallway as their feet echoed on the red carpet. Benches dotted the walls along their path and there were large oak doors every few feet.

Gajeel turned his head to the side to see her looking around in wonder. "This castle is your home now. You may go anywhere you like, except to the highest tower."

"What's in the highest tower?" Levy asked immediately.

Gajeel stopped walking to turn around and look at her. If she hadn't been paying more attention, she would have surely walked right into him. "It is _my_ space, you understand? _No one_ is allowed in there." She nodded her head meekly; still intensely curious about why the creature seemed so protective over this space. Gajeel turned once more and she followed behind him before they finally arrived at a door at the end of the hallway. "This will be your room," he said, stepping back to allow her to walk through.

Just as she was about the push the large door open she paused and turned to the dragon. "Why keep a prisoner? It seems like I'll be more of a burden than anything else." She honestly was wondering what his motives were.

The creature seemed to turn inward slightly, as if thinking about his answer. "Your father trespassed here," he said as a matter of fact.

"But that doesn't explain why you would choose to keep a prisoner for their entire life," Levy pushed the subject.

"I don't—" the beast paused, turning inward before finally growling in agitation. "It doesn't matter. You will join me for dinner in an hour."

Levy scoffed. Like she was going to eat dinner with her captor. "I'm not hungry," she said flippantly, heading towards the door.

The beast placed a claw on her shoulder, turning her to look at him forcefully but carefully enough not to hurt her. "I don't give a flying fuck. You _will_ join me for dinner."

Levy's face set into a grimace and she held his gaze in defiance before he finally released her. She turned, holding her composure as she entered the room, slamming the door behind her. She stayed still as she heard and felt his footsteps move far away from her door before she finally sank down to the floor in quiet sobs. She hadn't counted on Gajeel's hearing being so good, for he heard every tear drop.

END CHAPTER 6

. . .

 **Hello Lovely Readers!**

 **I've missed you all so much! I've been dying to get this chapter out to you and half of it was written sitting on my computer but I couldn't find time until this morning to get the other half written and proof read.**

 **Life was so crazy over the past month. Took a road trip, took the bar exam, broke my toe. You know—all the pleasantries of a life well lived. Thankfully everything is calming down now for the rest of the summer so I am hoping to have some more time to write! Hurray!**

 **Big shout out to Desna who has developed the most intriguing society for Bosco, which was inspiration for Bickslow's little woolgathering session earlier in the chapter. Also, big shout out to SmartCookie727 for helping me brainstorm about how to work Erza's character into this story as well because I was floundering.**

 **I know this story is slow going. I can't believe we are already at six chapters. I feel like this is going to be an epic novel lengthed tale for me to get in everything I want to. Oh well, hopefully you'll stick it out for the long run. I really want to explore Laxus, Cana and Bickslow's backstories much more in this little spin off Beauty and the Beast tale so that when everything culminates at the end, you'll all really feel each of the characters and understand their motivations.**

 **Hope you liked the Bickslow Lisanna fluff. I am planning on doing more with those two. I'm not a fan of Lisanna by any means but maybe I can turn her into a character I actually like in this story. That will be a challenge for sure!**

 **Okay I love you guys! I'll be traveling starting on Thursday so I'm not sure about whether I'll get another update of this or Penalty Game out before then BUT I do hope I might have a chance to write while I'm gone for that week so I can post when I get back.**

 **Love you all! Keep being fabulous!**

 **Musicera**


	7. Chapter 7

"Dinner"

. . .

Bickslow used the key Laxus had given him to open the man's front door. Bickslow coming over to Laxus' place was all standard procedure, as the two usually headed over to work together but the sight that greeted him was definitely not normal.

In the house's entryway stood Cana, arms wrapped around Laxus, kissing him quite intensely. The two clearly hadn't noticed his arrival so, in classic Bickslow fashion, he made a scene of the whole thing. He whistled loudly before saying, "Yeah boss-man, get some!" while making a thrusting motion with his hips.

With a slight start, Laxus pulled back from kissing the brunette only to roll his eyes at his friend's antics. "Shut it, Bix," he said with a sigh. Cana smiled up at him and without saying a word, turned to walk out his front door. She winked at Bickslow as she walked past him but she was gone before Laxus could even say a word.

Bickslow nodded his head several times before saying, "Glad you two finally realized there's something between you."

Laxus scoffed. "There's nothing between us."

"Whatever man," Bickslow looked around. "Hey, didn't you leave with more than just Cana?"

The blonde shrugged his shoulders. "The other girls must have left."

The dark haired man rolled his eyes again. Leave it to Laxus to not even pay attention to the movements of the women he slept with. "So how'd your night go? You were pretty busy with that barmaid when I left," the blonde inquired, while he moved into the kitchen and began to pack some things for work.

His friend sighed and plopped himself down dramatically at the kitchen table. "Got cock blocked by the queen of all cock blocks."

"Erza?" Laxus raised an eyebrow.

"Erza," his friend replied. "But I'm meeting up with her tonight away from the Queen's grasp so, there's that. Overall it was just a weird night," the man reflected.

"How so?" Laxus asked while pulling on his overcoat.

Bickslow looked out the window to place his thoughts before answering. "When I left the bar, I met Makarov near the town fountain."

"Levy's father?" Laxus' interest had picked up.

Bickslow nodded his head. "Yeah, he seemed really frantic. I asked him what was wrong and the man started raving about how Levy had been kidnapped by some sort of a beast or a monster."

"The fuck?" Laxus furrowed his brow.

"Exactly," Bickslow responded. Laxus had finished gathering his things and the two exited the house, heading towards work. "I tried to reason with the man but he seemed completely out of his wits."

Laxus hiked his bag up further on his shoulder before saying, "Sounds like the man was hitting the sauce too hard."

Bickslow shook his head. "I dunno man. He didn't seem drunk to me. He seemed completely terrified."

The blonde slowed his steps briefly as he was deep in thought. "Terrified, huh?"

His friend looked at him. "What are you up to?"

Laxus cocked an eyebrow at his friend. "Just had a little idea for some payback is all."

Bickslow furrowed his brow. "I dunno man. Why not just leave those two crazies by themselves. It seems like you got a really good thing with Cana going on. Why not concentrate on that?"

Laxus huffed. "Nothing going on with her, I told you. And there's no way I can let that little bitch's insult go unchecked."

"Just," Bickslow hesitated. He knew how his friend could get. He was incredibly proud and the smallest insult to his pride usually resulted in drawn out revenge scheming. He hated seeing his friend get this way. Deep down, he knew he was a good person. The man had taken him in and given him work when no one else would have. Even more than that, the man had hid the secret of his birth from the entire town and defended him at every turn. At the same time, the man would get on these kicks where he went completely tunnel vision and in Bickslow's opinion, what little revenge he got did more to damage his reputation than anything else. But it was incredibly difficult to make the man see that. "Just consider what I said for once?" his friend pleaded.

Laxus grunted. The two had arrived to the front door of a large building at the top of the town. "Thunder Legion Industries" was painted in black letters on the large glass door.

Bickslow clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Don't wait up for me. I'm heading out straight after work to meet Lisanna."

Laxus rolled his eyes as he pulled the door open. The two men walked through before parting ways. "I don't see why you're wasting your time on some little prude when you could have your pick of the town," Laxus called after him.

Bickslow turned and started walking backwards. He grinned at his friend and simply raised his hand and flipped him off before he took off running down the opposite hallway.

Laxus tried to hide the small chuckle at his closest friend's antics before turning to head up the stairs to his office.

. . .

Levy heaved a heavy sigh as she let the last of her tears fall down her cheeks. She had since moved to the bed where the day's events had her falling in and out of sleep and bouts of tears.

A gentle knock sounded at her door and she gathered herself enough to respond, "Who is it?"

"It's Mirajane, my dear," the sweet voice came through slightly muffled by the door. Levy rose to open the door tentatively, not convinced she could face the Iron Dragon if he were on the other side. She startled when she cracked the door open only to have a beautiful silver teapot bounce through the crack in the door, under her feet and towards her bed.

She moved back, her eyes wide at the sight in front of her as a small teacup and sugar bowl followed behind her. "But you're a—" she rambled as she continued backing up.

"Oh!" Levy jumped when the wardrobe she had bumped into made a noise behind her. Turning around, the wardrobe itself seemed to come to life and in a sweet voice said, "Careful now."

"This is impossible!" Levy exclaimed, moving back to sit on the bed.

The wardrobe moved closer to her bedside before saying, "Juvia agrees as well, but here we are." Levy looked up to see the wardrobe's face fall slightly. The piece itself was beautiful made up of sky blue drawers with white edging.

Levy looked over to the teapot that had jumped up onto her nightstand, along with her companions. "Is she okay?" she asked the pot tentatively, pointing towards the wardrobe.

The teapot let out a sigh, forming as some steam from her spout. "Oh she's fine. She just gets like that from time to time. Don't pay it any attention."

Levy nodded her head in understanding. The little teacup had moved closer to Mira while she poured hot water into it. "I told you she was pretty, Mira," it said bashfully.

Mirajane smiled in response, beckoning the sugar bowl forward. "A little sugar, if you don't mind, Wendy." To Levy's astonishment a dark blue sugar bowl moved forward to follow the teapot's orders. "Careful now, Romeo," she exclaimed as the cup started moving towards Levy.

"Thank you," Levy said, reaching forward to take a sip from the cup.

"That was a very brave thing you did, my dear," Mira said was real concern in her eyes.

"Juvia thinks so too," responded the wardrobe.

Levy sighed, looking at her new companions. "But I've lost my father, my dreams, everything," Levy sighed.

"Cheer up, child," the pot responded cheerily. "Everything will turn out alright in the end, you'll see!" Levy gave her an appreciative look. "Listen to me!" Mira exclaimed. "Jabbering on while there's dinner to prepare!" And with those words, the tea set hopped its way out of Levy's room. She noticed the little sugar bowl turn around and whisper, "Bye," before scurrying to catch up with her leader.

Levy followed them out the door with her eyes before she was distracted by Juvia's words. "Well now, what shall Juvia dress you in for dinner?" it said, opening its drawers. It pulled out a beautiful orange dress decorated with white bows. "This is perfect for Levy 2.0!"

Levy cleared her throat, not sure exactly how to respond. "That's very kind of you, but I'm not going to dinner."

The wardrobe looked shocked. "But you must! You have a chance to be with your love. Juvia would give anything in the world to be with her love!" As she said those words, tears started falling from her eyes, soaking all the clothes in her drawers.

"Oh, Juvia, please calm down. I didn't mean to make you cry!" Levy pleaded.

At just that moment of chaos, Gray walked into the room to announce dinner. At his entrance, Juvia moved closer to the door, yelling, "My love! You have returned to your Juvia! Juvia is so happy we are finally together again."

"Oh jeez, not this again," the ice bucket sighed before backing out the room, only increasing Juvia's tears. Levy tried to comfort the wardrobe as best she could, but the whole thing just left her feeling completely out of her element.

. . .

Gajeel paced back and forth in front of the roaring fireplace, his talons scraping across the floor with each step. "What's taking so long?" he said with growing frustration. "I told her to come down." He paused looking up at Natsu and Mirajane, who were seated on the mantle. "WHY ISN'T SHE HERE YET?" he growled at them.

"Patience, Gajeel," Mirajane scolded. "The girl has lost her father and her freedom all in one day."

Natsu cleared his throat before speaking. "Don't you think that this girl might be the one to break the spell?" he asked boldly.

Gajeel growled in annoyance. "You idiot, of course I have! I'm not a fool like you," he muttered, continuing his pacing.

"Great! So we'll all be human again by midnight! I'm fired up now!" Mirajane backed up as the candle's flames grew higher.

Mirajane and Gajeel both rolled their eyes. "It's not that easy, Natsu. We don't even know how to break the spell at this point. No one's been able to figure out the enchantress's riddle," Mirajane said with a slightly crestfallen face.

"But the crystal has already begun to fade!" Natsu said in a hushed whisper.

The large dragon stopped his pacing. "It's no fucking use," he huffed. "Might as well give up hope now," he said, turning to look at the pair.

Mirajane was the one to speak up in response. "Stop that dreary attitude! A little renewed effort and I'm sure we can figure this whole mess out."

A rustling at the door made them all turn in anticipation, only to be let down by Gray's entrance. "Well?" Gajeel growled expectantly at him. "Where is she?"

Mirajane looked at Gray with pleading eyes but he ignored her, giving Gajeel a flat stare. "She's not coming."

"WHAT?!" the iron dragon bellowed, bounding out of the room. His scales sparked against the stone floors as he clawed his way up the stairs and to her room. Mirajane gave Gray a deathly stare. The ice bucket could visibly see her steaming and he chose to exit the room as quickly as he could.

. . .

Levy startled as heavy banging sounded against her door. "I thought I told you to get your ass downstairs for dinner!" he bellowed.

The bluenette huffed, like she was going to dine with such a brute. "I'm not hungry!" she yelled back through the door.

"You'll come out," Gajeel continued, "Or I'll fucking break down this door." Levy stayed silent, starting to fear that her assertiveness might actually get her hurt or worse.

It was Natsu who distracted the iron dragon from staring intensely at the door. "Maybe you should just ask her nicely?" he suggested easily.

Gajeel heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't know why, but he seemed to be willing to do things for this girl that he'd never been willing to do before. The most incredible to him was agreeing to let her father go. He had fully planned on letting the man die in that tower for his disrespect and trespass to his home but when that girl looked at him with an attitude much too big for someone her size, he couldn't help but agree to her proposition. So again, he found himself out of his comfort zone on account of this girl. "Will you come down to dinner?" he said in an annoyed, but normal volume voice.

"No," Levy replied simply.

Gajeel was about at his breaking point but Mira encouraged him to keep trying. "It would give me great pleasure, if you would join me for dinner," he said through gritted teeth.

Levy's voice rose slightly more, gaining more confidence in her position, "No thank you!" she responded.

At her words, Gajeel snapped. "You can't stay in there forever!" he growled.

Levy huffed, "Yes I can!"

"Fine! Then go ahead and starve!" Gajeel nearly screamed. Turning to the now three attendants behind him, as Gray had joined in to see what the commotion was about. "If she doesn't eat with me, she doesn't fucking eat! You got that?!" he seethed. The trio nodded and he took off for his tower.

END CHAPTER 7

. . .

 **Hi lovers!**

 **Did you miss me? Sorry it's been so long. My husband and I went on vacation and we're finally back!**

 **I know this was more of a plot based chapter and it killed me not to include any smut but fear not! There will be some next chapter! I've already got it outlined as well so it shouldn't be too long.**

 **Don't really have too much to say. It's still early (like 0820) so I don't think my brain is fully on but the house we're staying in right now while we're on another little trip gets insane amounts of sunlight and only has sheer curtains so there's no chance in going back to bed.**

 **Oh I will say I finished reading the actual Beauty and the Beast novel while on vacation and it is COMPLETELY different than the Disney version. I would say the only thing that is the same is the fact that there is a beauty and a beast haha. There's no moving furniture or any of that. And the whole spell cast on the beast is a rather convoluted web of royal politics involving fairies. It was strange and dare I say, I like the Disney version better.**

 **It also made me cringe a little to write Juvia's character using the third person language she uses in the Japanese manga. In the English anime they ditched that weird kink of hers and it's really weird to me when I hear it/see it so I don't know why I decided to write it this way. I also don't understand why HM wrote her referring to herself in the third person. It's just really odd to me…**

 **Love you all! Let me know your thoughts. I'm having so much fun writing this revamp and I hope you enjoy reading it!**

 ***Kiss**

 **Musicera**


	8. Chapter 8

"Evening Rendezvous"

. . .

Levy's stomach rumbled as she lay atop the large bed in her new prison. Juvia had long since cried herself to sleep, soaking all the clothing in her drawers. The bluenette let out a heavy sigh, blowing her bangs out of her face as she did so. Her stomach rumbled its protest again and she groaned.

Rolling herself off the bed, she tiptoed to the door, opening it as quietly as she could. She was starving and she'd be damned if this stupid dragon took away her dinner as well as her freedom. Seeing and sensing no one moving in the dark hallway, she careful exited her room, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could.

Levy vaguely remembered the kitchen being somewhere down the stairs and to the left and she made her way in that direction on quiet feet. Once she descended the stairs, she heard voices in the distance and the clattering of pots that made her sure she was on the right path.

A little ways away in the kitchen, an oversized oven could be seen banging pots down in a huff. "All this good food going to waste? It's just not fair! What I wouldn't give to be able to eat again!"

"Oh, stop your griping Droy, it's been a long night for all of us!" Mira said with an edge of irritation, while encouraging Wendy and Romeo into the cupboard.

"Besides," Gray said from his spot on the floor, "You going on a forced diet isn't exactly a bad thing." The oven looked as if he was about to cry and Mira leveled Gray with a heated stare. The ice bucket shifted uncomfortably under her gaze before continuing. "Anyways, if you ask me, that girl was just being stubborn. After all, he did say please," he complained, throwing a rag down onto the floor.

Mira's handle waved back and forth a few times before she responded. "If Gajeel doesn't learn to open up a little bit more—" but her words cut off as the door to the kitchen opened gently.

Levy walked through a little bashfully, peering at the scene before her with wide eyes. "Great, what are you doing up?" Gray turned to her with a flat stare.

The bluenette was slightly taken aback by his rude tone but before she could gather her thoughts to say something, the candelabra she had held earlier that evening rushed in, knocking the bucket over. "Hey there! I'm Natsu!" it said with a cheery voice. "Don't mind Gray, he's an ass-" but the candle couldn't finish his words before he was bowled over by a bum rushing ice bucket.

The two rolled around on the floor, hitting one another as best they could before Mira turned bright red, steam bursting through her spout as she yelled at them to stop. Her normally sweet voice was much lower and darker, much to Levy's surprise. She froze as the pot turned its attention on her but her voice was sweet and it was back to her normal silver hue, making Levy wonder if she had been seeing things. "What can we do for you, my dear?"

Levy fidgeted a bit before quietly saying, "Well, I am a little hungry."

"Hear that!" Mira exclaimed in delight, turning to the oven. "She's hungry! Start the fire, we'll whip up something extraordinary for you."

Gray had wrestled himself away from Natsu long enough to object. "Absolutely not! Do you guys not remember what Gajeel said?"

"Gajeel?" Levy repeated the name softly to herself, as Mira dismissed Gray's comments.

"You sit down right here, my dear," Mira said as Natsu pulled a chair out for Levy at the large oak table in the room, "and dinner will be just a few minutes."

"Thank you," Levy smiled genuinely before Natsu jumped up to stand in front of her. "So who's Gajeel?" Levy directed her question at the flame, sensing he had the biggest mouth in the room.

"I know you've seen him," the light responded. "He's the big guy. You know, the dragon-looking one."

"Oh!" Levy exclaimed. "So his name is Gajeel?" Natsu nodded his head, indicating she was correct. "How long have you all been here? I can't believe no one from our village has found this place!"

"Funny story!" Natsu said, his flames growing higher with excitement. "You see, we weren't always trapped like this."

"Natsu!" a stern look from Mira put a stop to his story as the teapot directed the oven to set a steamy bowl of hot soup in front of Levy. "Don't pay him any attention, my dear. You just enjoy your supper."

Levy nodded her head and said her thanks to the little pot, but she couldn't help replay the word "trapped" over and over in her mind as she ate. "Did this Gajeel trap all of these people too just like he had trapped her?" she thought to herself. "I need to figure out what's going on in this place," she internally vowed.

As she set her spoon down, having finished her soup, Gray surprised her by hopping up onto the table. "Say, I got a question for you," he leveled her with a hard stare.

"Okay," she said hesitantly.

"Why haven't you tried to escape yet?" he asked flatly.

"Gray!" Mira scolded with rolled eyes. "Leave the girl alone!"

But Levy's answer was immediate. "What do you mean? I gave him my word."

"Yeah, and?" the ice bucket looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"And nothing. What type of person would I be if I lied to people just to get my way?" The commotion in the kitchen had been so loud that no one noticed Gajeel lurking just outside the door, having heard everything the little bluenette said.

. . .

"Bickslow," Lisanna whispered, trying to find her way through the tall grass to the spot at the top of the hill.

"Over here!" the man called back to her, waving his arms over his head to try and get her attention. The girl blushed as she finally met his gaze, quickening her pace to meet the man a few yards away from her. He looked amazing in a simple black t-shirt hanging loosely over a pair of dark blue jeans.

When she finally made it to the top of the hill she smoothed her baby blue dress out before finally looking out at the sight in front of her. The river that ran near the town stretched out with trees covering both banks. The water itself reflected the light of the moon, making the area seem more alive than its dark surroundings. "Wow!" she breathed at the sight.

"You like?" the midnight haired man whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

The girl froze for an instant, trying to get her rapidly beating heart to calm down so she could think straight. The musky scent of the man behind her was overwhelming and she could feel herself being pulled into his charm already. She nodded her head, not sure she trusted herself to form full words at the moment. "Come on," Bickslow said, pulling her over to a small clearing close by, where a blanket was laid out on the ground

"What's this?" the white-haired maid asked, finally finding her words. Her suitor just patted the spot next to him on the blanket before reaching behind him to grab a bottle of whine and two glasses.

A wide grin split his face as he started to pour. "Thought that since you serve me alcohol all the time, I should return the favor." He handed her a glass and she took a seat beside him, sipping at the rosy colored liquid. It was light and she was glad; she didn't drink all that often and she was already nervous enough.

After a few minutes of drawn out silence, she finally turned to the man. "Bickslow?"

"Call me Bixy," he winked mischievously at her and she couldn't help but giggle. The man had such a way of lightening even the darkest of moods.

"Okay, Bixy," she said with mirth.

"Much better," the man said, moving to put an arm around her while downing the rest of his glass.

"Why me?" she said aloud, looking out over the river.

She could sense him move to try and look at her. She tried to keep her gaze straight ahead, nervous about what his answer would be but he literally tilted her chin so she would look at him. "What do you mean? Why me?"

She sighed. "I mean, I see the way other women look at you. Women like Ever and Cana. Why bother with me when you can have one of them?"

"Oh, I see," the man said, laying himself down on the blanket and folding his arms beneath his head. "I don't want those women. I've had women like that. They don't get me. They just want the fun, but they don't really care about who I am. But you?" he hesitated. "You were the first girl from this town that actually gave a shit about who I was. That first time I came into the bar and sat down and you started an actual conversation with me about _me_ and not about Laxus or why I looked different or wore this or that but actually about _me_ , I knew you were different." His piercing green gaze locked eyes with the girl. "Sorry," he mumbled out. "I tend to ramble sometimes."

She shook her head, as if to say she didn't mind. A squeak left her mouth though as the man pulled her wrist out from under her so she went tumbling onto his chest. "Bickslow!" she exclaimed.

"Tisk tisk," the man chided and the girl laughed.

"Sorry, _Bixy_ ," she said with emphasis.

"Better," he said, hugging her into his side. They laid there on the blanket together, looking up at the stars for quite some time. After what the man had said, the girl so wanted to kiss him but she just didn't have the courage and was hoping he would make the first move. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the man began to shift and roll towards her. She held her breath, hoping this was finally it. Bickslow could sense the girl's hesitation and he fully intended to make the most of this evening, but he couldn't help tease the girl a little. Rolling over her completely, he caged her lithe body underneath his arms and knees. Looking down at her with an intoxicating stare he said her name slowly, "Lisanna?"

"Yes?" she breathed, looking up at him with lust in her eyes.

He lowered his head, letting his lips get closer and closer to hers. Slowly, he reached his hand off to the side without her noticing and grabbed hold of the wine bottle. "Can I get you another glass?" he said pulling away from her all of the sudden and cackling.

"Bickslow!" she whined at his jest, sitting up in the process. But before she had time to correct herself, he threw the bottle aside and hugged her tight to his body. Smashing his lips against hers, the girl couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat as the man expertly worked her lips against his.

His tongue swiped back and forth at her lips, begging her for entrance. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and when she gasped, he used the opportunity to invade her mouth. Their tongues danced around each other as he relished her flavor. Using his strength, he hoisted her up so that she was straddling him, their cores rubbing together dangerously in this position.

The white-haired girl surprised him by tugging at his shirt. "Off!" she tried to order him through kisses. Bickslow raised an eyebrow, surprised at the bold side she was showing but didn't argue. As soon as he lifted the shirt over his head, Lisanna's hands were on his chest, moving across every inch of him, making his body respond stiffly in other areas.

The maiden felt his hardness press against her own core and she nearly melted into his heat. She reveled in the idea that she was able to make a man like Bickslow so hard. Bickslow himself was trying to wrap his brain around the little vixen currently sitting in his lap. Just like at the bar, one minute she was nervous and shy and the next she was kissing him with an intensity that left him wanting so much more.

He wanted more of this girl. She was like some sort of drug and the more he got, the more he craved. His fingers slid along the hem of her dress, which was already bunched up above her knees given how she was sitting and grinding into him. His thumb caressed the tiniest bit against her skin, as if in question. Feeling his movements, Lisanna pulled back from his embrace to look into his eyes. His emerald eyes shown with pure lust and need and it made her feel powerful in a way she never had.

For a moment, Bickslow thought he had gone too far when the girl pulled back after he had touched her, but within seconds she smiled at him and lifted the offending garment up and over her head herself, exposing her perky breasts to him against the moonlight.

He couldn't help the grin that split his face or the curses that spilled from his mouth as he sat there, taking in her beautiful form. "Bixy?" she said with a little uncertainty as he continued to stay still. The sound of his name from her lips brought him out of his reverie and he dove in with abandon, kissing, licking and sucking her mounds into his mouth.

The girl writhed and moaned on top of him and he wanted to do everything he could to keep those sounds spilling out of her mouth. He held two fingers to her mouth and she looked him with a curious glance. "Get 'em nice and wet, baby," he drawled and he nearly blew his load right there are she wrapped her mouth around his fingers, moving her tongue back and forth under his watchful gaze.

Finally sucking the last finger out of her mouth, he trailed them down between her breasts, making her gasp and shiver as he made his way to her core. He locked eyes with her and said in a nearly silent whisper, "I am going to make you come so hard." She gasped at his words and then again at his fingers finally making contact with her glistening pussy.

Things were moving fast but everything felt so good and she'd wanted this man for so long. He continued to lavish kisses up and down her body as he worked her core into a frenzy. She felt herself heating up, grasping on to the man for support as he rubbed her folds at a fast pace. She was vaguely aware of herself saying his name over and over again like a mantra before she finally crested. She'd never felt this sensation before and she instantly wondered how she'd gone so long without it. Heat flooded her body and unbelievable tendrils of pleasure moved their way out to her fingertips as her walls pulsed their release.

She collapsed forward onto her lover and felt him kiss the top of her breast before saying, "Fuck, that was hot." She tried to say something but her voice felt hoarse, as if she had been screaming. "Maybe I was," she blushed to herself.

She felt herself being lifted and gently laid down on her back. "I'm almost at my limit," the man said from above her. She watched as he quickly shed his jeans, revealing form-fitting briefs underneath. She licked her lips, loving the show but before she could say anything, he was pressing his body against hers. Bickslow was grabbing at her breasts, her ass, and caressing up and down her body as he thrust himself against her, using the friction to drive himself to his end.

Her body felt amazing, soft enough to mold against his but firm enough to give him something to hold onto. The man groaned, hoisting himself off of her so that she shivered slightly from the loss of heat. His hand was working the front of his briefs and Lisanna sat up. "Show me what to do," she said to him and he gave her the most endearing smile.

He pulled down his briefs just enough so that his erect manhood sprang free. Taking her hand, he guided it to his length, encouraging her to stroke him up and down. She got up on her knees to get a better angle and he pulled her close, kissing her as she pumped his member to completion. Within a few seconds, he was sucking her shoulder as he felt the waves of his release hit him. "Lisanna," her name fell from his lips as his milky essence burst from him landing a distance away in the grass, causing his own waves of pleasure to roll through him.

The two sank down to their knees before he pulled her to lay down with him, using the blanket to cover them up as the chilled night air finally started to affect them. He kissed the top of her head as they both drifted along in a pleasant afterglow.

. . .

Around an hour after their encounter, the two were still laying in each others arms, letting the warmth of each other and the blanket relax them. Lisanna had fallen asleep but Bickslow was merely looking up at the night sky, deep in thought, when he heard some noises coming from a ways away in the field.

He stayed quiet, not particularly being in a position to confront someone and not wanting to wake up the sleeping woman in his arms either. He tried his best to listen and caught the edge of what sounded like mumblings. "If no one will help me, then I'll go back alone!" It was Makarov's voice, Bickslow was sure of it.

"Makes sense," Bickslow thought to himself. This field was next to the large clearing that belonged to Makarov and his daughter.

Some grunts of effort had Bickslow turn to try and see what the man was doing through the grass. "Damn this thing!" the older man huffed. "It's just too heavy! No bother, I can still use the smaller version I've been working on," he continued to mumble. Bickslow heard the door to the man's workshop slam before hearing banging things falling to the floor. Finally, the door swung open again and he heard the man say, "I'll get Levy back myself, even if no one will help me!" before he trudged off into the forest in the opposite direction.

Bickslow shook his head in bewilderment. "Something is seriously up with that man," he thought to himself.

His movements had caused Lisanna to stir and she looked up at him with round eyes. "Bixy? Everything okay?"

He just loved hearing her call him that. He knew she'd probably kill him if he told her, but no one actually called him Bixy—he just wanted her to. "Nothing babe. But we should really consider getting ourselves inside."

"Oh," the girl seemed a little crestfallen and Bickslow picked up on it right away.

"Feel like staying over at my place?"

The girl looked at him with hopeful eyes. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Only if you don't mind not getting a good night's sleep," he said with a laugh and a wink.

END CHAPTER 8

. . .

 **Hello lovers!**

 **Hmm, I kind of thought I was going to get a little farther plot wise in this chapter but the smut just kind of took over and here we are. But isn't that seriously like the best type of smut? The type that just grabs you, takes you for the most amazing ride and doesn't let go until you're literally panting and dripping puddles of sweat, begging for a break? No? Maybe just for me?**

 **Author truth time: I've honestly struggled a bit with writing Lisanna into this story and for a large part of this chapter, worried that I had made the wrong move to include her at all. But I persevered and am hoping to do some solid character building with her to make her less icky. Cause that's how I find her in the actual manga. Icky.**

 **I am so super excited about the next chapter though. That's when we get much more into the Gajeel Levy interactions and I've got some pretty amazing ideas brewing in this crazy cauldron I call a brain that I can't wait to infect you all with!**

 **So here's hoping to that you love the story so far because I love you. And I know we've only been together for eight chapters but with some of you, we go way back. I'm talking like retro Fairy Penalty Game era. You remember the time, we were all wearing puffy jackets and perming our hair, reading about Gajeel chasing Levy after the penalty games? Those were the days. Those were the days. Look how far we've come.**

 **LOVE YOU!**

 **Kisses!**

 **Musicera**


	9. Chapter 9

"Conversations"

. . .

"Goodnight, dearies!" the silver teapot said, waving her handle as she joined the sugar bowl and teacup in the cupboard.

"Goodnight," Levy repeated, giving her a slight wave of her hand. The blunette sighed, pushing back from the table and standing up to look around the kitchen. The stove blushed a furious shade of red and actually lit a burner by accident when Levy walked past him to let him know that dinner was excellent.

"You're so welcome, Miss Levy!" he said in a far too excited voice. "I only wish I could have joined you."

"Chill it out, Droy," the ice bucket said frigidly, causing the stove to sigh some steam and go back to cleaning under its coils. "Well," Gray said, turning his attention to Levy, "back to bed, if you don't mind."

Levy turned around and gave the bucket a hard stare. This particular piece was becoming a little thorny and she was never one to like being told what to do. "I couldn't possibly sleep now!" she said, ignoring his huff. "This is my first time in an enchanted castle."

The ice bucket gave her a flat look. "Who said this place was enchanted." The bluenette stared back, both of them holding each other's gaze in a battle of wills.

Natsu broke the uncomfortable silence, chiming in with a well-placed, "That's the spirit! Where do you want to explore first?" the candelabra asked, jumping up onto the counter nearest Levy.

"Hey flamebrain," Gray shouted from his spot on the table. "You really think inviting her to roam around the castle is a good idea?"

Natsu's flames died a little after hearing Gray's words. "Maybe it is better if you just go to bed."

Levy sensed the defeat that came over the fireman, so she quickly thought of something that might cheer him up. "You'll be up for giving me a tour tomorrow, right?"

"Of course!" he exclaimed. "What time shall we start?" Levy hesitated but he continued, "Doesn't matter. As soon as you're up and fed, I'll show you all the best places in this place. You're gonna' love it!"

"Okay!" she said with a laugh and a smile.

"Why you gotta always kill the mood, you stupid cooler?" Natsu said, as him and Gray started to exit the kitchen.

"Why can't you think things through, you flametard?" Gray yelled back at them. Levy rolled her eyes. It seemed like those two were constantly fighting. The two fixtures headed off down a separate hallway and Levy laughed to herself as she heard them continue to argue back and forth.

Despite her earlier thoughts on exploring the castle, being alone in the hallways as she made her way back to her bedroom gave her second thoughts. The entire place felt so empty and creepy. She looked down the hallway to the right, hesitating a moment before continuing on. "I think this is the right way to my bedroom," she mumbled softly to herself. But the girl fast found herself completely lost, as all of the hallways and doors looked the same.

"Maybe this one?" she said, slowly opening one of the doors and walking inside. She searched the dark walls tirelessly for something that would jog her memory and tell her where she was but everything fast started fading together. She soon found herself at a pair of stairs. "Maybe these go up to the floor where my bedroom is," she said, starting to climb.

At the top was a door that had been busted off of its hinges but in the dark, Levy didn't even see it wasn't like all the rest. She quickly found herself lost in a maze of broken furniture and torn curtains. Realizing she wasn't where she thought she was, she tried to turn around and retrace her steps but in her tired state, she couldn't find the door she had come in through.

Her breathing increased rapidly as she tried to calm herself down. "Come on, Levy. You'll find your way back and if you don't someone will come looking for you." She gulped down large breaths of air, keeping her eyes shut tight, only allowing herself to open them again when her heartbeat wasn't pounding through her chest.

When she finally opened her eyes, the glimmer of moonlight from a nearby window caught her eye, and she made her way to the area, careful not to trip on broken chairs and glass strewn across the floor. She pushed back a large curtain and was surprised to find a mostly cleaned up area, with a little pedestal sitting in the center.

Atop the table was a beautiful blue globe that was faintly glowing. Levy couldn't help her instant curiosity. Forgetting her earlier fright, she walked over to the globe to get a closer look. Bending her head nearer to the object, she could faintly see scenes playing out in its center. She moved to pick up the piece so she could get a closer look but as soon as her hand touched the sphere, she felt herself being pulled into the object itself.

Her stomach lurched as she landed in what looked to be a very run down house. When she had caught her balance, she looked around to see if anyone was there. "Where the heck am I?" she muttered aloud. At just that moment, a mass of children ran past her—no not past her—through her! Her breath hitched and she tried to grab onto one of them as they ran past but at each grab, her hand materialized right through them, as if she was a ghost.

What sounded like an explosion took her interest from the children. Walking forward past the children who were fleeing in the opposite direction, she noticed a gaping hole that had just been punched through the wall. A metal pole was sticking out of it. She jumped when the pole started to withdraw from the wall and startled further when she saw a very scared and confused looking young boy through the newly revealed opening.

It was his arm that had transformed into the metal and she could hear his soft sobbing and see the tears running down his face. A black-haired woman with her hair half done in braids was screaming at him, but he refused to look at her. She grabbed his collar and threw him down onto the floor. Levy lunged forward to help him, walking straight through the wall but when she went to grab at the woman, she grabbed nothing but air.

Suddenly, the scene before her shifted and she was standing in the forest. Rain was beating down hard all around her and she could feel the chill in the air. Looking to her left, she saw the little boy again, huddled against the base of a tree. He was visibly shivering and his black hair glistened with water droplets.

She wanted to help him, she felt so helpless, but every time she tried to shake the boy, her hand went straight through him. The scene shifted again and this time she was in what looked to be a very warm and comforting home. She looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when the young boy, a bit older now, was sitting at the kitchen table with a middle-aged looking man with streaks of silver hair.

Levy gasped as she watched the man transform his own arm into a metal pole, then into a metal hammer and then back to its normal state. Looking to the young boy, she smiled as he worked to emulate this man. He was wearing his hair just like him and there was a smile behind his eyes that spoke of happiness and contentment.

She almost cried when the scene before her melted into one of panic and terror. The boy had opened the door to the same house but standing in front of him were two police officers. They handed the boy a folder stuffed with documents and she thought she saw the words "presumed dead," on the lips of one officer. The black-haired youth crumpled to the floor in front of her and her heart nearly broke for him at his loss.

As the scene shifted again, she begged, "Please no more! I can't take it!" But the orb didn't let up. In this last scene, she found herself sitting in what looked to be some sort of a meeting hall, surrounded by various people. A youth with wild pink hair was messing around with fire while another with jet-black locks was yelling something at him.

A beautiful silver-haired woman walked past her with a mug of beer, which she set in front of a frightening looking man. His hair was grown long down his back in wild layers. Metal studs dotted his arms, eyebrows, nose and chin. She followed him minutes later when the man rose and opened the door to what was clearly a terrible storm. In front of him was an elderly woman with pale pink hair. She saw the man try to slam the door on the woman but was stopped by a white glowing light.

The light began to grow so brightly that it started to blind Levy. Then she heard a strong woman's voice echo in her mind, "Levy. Do not be fooled by outward appearances. If you can see beyond the anger and allow yourself to trust, you will be well rewarded in life."

The words echoed in her mind, trying to make sense of them until a fearsome growl sounded around her. Suddenly she was pulled back into the room she found herself in, staring down at the orb, but the growl was still in the air.

Gajeel was standing in front of her, blocking her view of the sphere. She startled, trying to back up but she tripped and fell backwards over a broken chair. "Why did you come here?" he growled menacingly at her.

"I'm sorry," Levy quickly replied, about to explain how she had gotten lost.

But Gajeel continued, his voice picking up in volume and agitation. "I told you never to come here!" His talons scraped against the floor as he moved closer to where she was desperately trying to pick herself up off the floor without cutting her hands on broken glass.

"I didn't mean any harm!" she managed to say, as she finally stood up.

"Do you realize what you could have done?" the dragon finally screamed at her, ripping his claws through a curtain that was partially hanging in front of him.

Levy was never one to respond well to temper tantrums, dragon or not. "Stop!" she shouted back at him, but that only served to enrage him further.

"Get out!" he screamed at her, beginning to throw furniture around the room.

Fearing for her safety, Levy quickly turned on her heel, running straight back to thankfully the door and down the stairs as quickly as possible. The commotion had awoken Natsu, Gray and Mirajane, who were standing at the foot of the stairs nearest the front door to the palace.

"Wait! Levy! Where are you going?" Natsu shouted after her.

Levy grabbed a cloak from the rack near the door without stopping. "Promise or no promise," she said, fastening the material around her, "I can't stay here another minute."

"Oh no, wait! Please wait!" the teapot shouted after her, but Levy was already out the door, bracing herself against the cold wind that whipped through her flimsy dress. She willed herself not to look back at the crestfallen faces of those she left behind.

. . .

"I'm tellin' ya man," Bickslow said, leaning his back against the bookcase in Laxus' office. "The man's convinced something has kidnapped Levy. He was out there in the field trying to move, well frankly I don't know what it was, but he couldn't so he ended up just grabbing something in the house and setting off on foot into the forest."

The blonde raised his eyebrow at his friend. "And what exactly were you doing out there in that field?" His midnight haired friend gave him a knowing smirk and Laxus let out a booming laugh. "Good. Well now that you've fucked the girl, you can finally stop pining after her and move along."

Bickslow threw his hands up spread wide. "Whoa! Bossman, slow down. Never said I fucked her."

"Then what the hell you doin' Bix? Geez," Laxus ran his hands in frustration through his hair, which only encouraged it to spike higher. Laxus loved Bickslow like a brother. The two had been to hell and back together but for some reason, he hated the idea of Bickslow falling in love with one woman. The whole thing seemed odd. Deep down, Laxus knew that if he was being honest, he didn't want to face the idea that even a guy as wild and as sexually inclined as Bickslow could finally settle down, because he didn't want to face the idea himself.

Laxus had inadvertently met Bickslow on one of his trips to Magnolia. Personally, Laxus hated traveling for business and often found himself frequenting the local tavern of whatever town he happened to be visiting to pass the time. With his impressive height, build and striking blonde hair, he usually did very well for himself on these escapades, never having to spend the night alone.

So when an exotic, midnight haired jokester started showing him up at the bar one night, Laxus got pretty irritated. If the blonde spoke with a woman, the next minute he turned around she was being chatted up by this goofy guy with a Mohawk and Laxus would be damned if he went home alone because some idiot was crawling him.

Laxus had confronted him about it, which led to an all out brawl right in the middle of the bar. About an hour later, the two men shared a beer while nursing their wounds and had been friends ever since.

Bickslow had shared with Laxus that he was actually hired by the bar's owner to keep the bar interesting and lively, which is why he'd been messing with the blonde. "Yeah, this job certainly does get me beaten and bloody from time to time," the man said.

"So then why don't you find something else?" Laxus had responded, nursing his beer.

Bickslow chuckled sadly into his own drink. "Not much in this country for a foreigner like me."

Laxus raised his eyebrow. "Foreigner?"

Bickslow turned to face Laxus. "You're a smart guy. I'm sure you already figured it out."

Laxus nodded his head slightly. "Yeah, but I didn't know that people refused to hire you."

Bickslow scoffed. "More than refuse to hire. I've had trouble getting an apartment, a hotel room, food, you name it."

Laxus' jaw set. Hearing stuff like this really pissed him off. "How'd you end up here? Why can't you just go back home?"

"If that were an option, I'd already have done it. Unfortunately, there's no going back to Bosco for me, as much as I would like to." Laxus took one look at the man's depressed state and knew not to push him further. Something had clearly happened that forced him out of his home country and he'd been suffering ever since. "Maybe one day," the man said forlornly.

Laxus sighed. "Look, man. I know it might be weird trusting a stranger that you just met, but I think I can help you. If you want work—real work—with a good salary, you can come and work for me."

Bickslow's eyes brightened. "Work for you? Where do you work?"

Laxus rolled the ice around in his glass. "Thunder Legion Industries."

The midnight haired man gave him a surprised look before narrowing his eyes. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack," Laxus chuckled into his drink.

Bickslow gave him a flat stare before bursting out laughing. "You're somethin' else, you know that man? What's your name anyways."

Laxus rolled his eyes. His name came with some clout; it's why he didn't like to give it out too often. "Laxus."

"As in Dreyar?" Bickslow couldn't believe his luck to have run into the future heir of Thunder Legion Industries.

Laxus nodded. "I can't promise you a top of the line job right away. And you'll have to move out to the village where our factory is located. But, if you work hard and do a good job, I'll see that good things come your way."

Bickslow ran his hands through his jet black hair. "Fuck, man. Why're you doin' all this for me? You barely know me."

A far off look took up residence on the blonde's face. It was a minute or two before he finally spoke, "I dunno. Just seems like the right thing to do." Laxus stood up and clapped Bickslow on the shoulder. "I'm leaving for home tomorrow evening. You're welcome to come along with me if you think you can pack in time."

Bickslow chuckled. "I'd be ready to go right now if you said so."

"Glad to hear it," Laxus said stiffly, before exiting the bar.

Laxus had been faithful to his word and had gotten Bickslow a job on the production floor of the company's factory. Bickslow had been true to his and had done good work for the company, so much so in fact that Laxus barely had to do anything to see Bickslow moving up in the ranks.

"Anyways," Bickslow sighed, pulling Laxus out of his reminiscing. "Something weird is going on with those two. And there's some weird thing out in that field next to their house. I didn't get a chance to get a good look at it, but it's definitely like nothing I've ever seen before."

Laxus furrowed his brows in thought. "You said Makarov left, right?"

Bickslow nodded his head, "Yeah. The man headed off into the forest as if he were on some mission."

Laxus hummed in thought. It might be worth taking a look at whatever this thing was in that field. Laxus trusted his friend's judgment immensely and this was the second time he seemed concerned about Makarov's behavior. A woman's voice on the office intercom disrupted the blonde's train of thought. "Mr. Dreyar?" the secretary's voice sounded.

Laxus pressed the button to communicate. "Hmm," he grunted through the speaker.

"There's a Ms. Albarona here to see you?" The secretary seemed slightly baffled. In all her years of working for the blonde heir, never once had a woman come to his office.

"Shit," Laxus cursed under his breath, looking at his watch. He pressed the button to his intercom. "Tell her I'll be right out." Laxus looked at Bickslow and immediately said, "Don't."

His friend gave him a coy smile before responding, "I'm not saying a word."

"Sure," Laxus said, rolling his eyes. Damn him for forgetting the time and getting caught up in conversation. He had a feeling he was never going to live down the fact that he was seeing Cana again so soon.

"Well, anyways. Enjoy your date, you romantic you!" Bickslow shouted, running through the office doors before the water bottle Laxus chucked at him could land its target.

END CHAPTER 9

. . .

 **Hello lovelies!**

 **Can you believe we are at the end of chapter 9 already? I bet you can. I haven't been able to work on this story as much as I've wanted to. Isn't that always the way with life. But when I get a moment, I always come back to it and I promise we will finish this thing to the end. I've already got an idea of how I want to do the last scenes and such.**

 **And don't worry because I already have half of chapter 10 written (and yes, for those of you who are wondering, it is smutty) so it should be out pretty soon.**

 **I don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted. I'm trying to be good and work out a lot but seriously, once I work out I just want to collapse in bed for the rest of the day. Although I think I may be pushing it. Sprints plus and hour of yoga today really did me in.**

 **Anyways, I love you guys. For those of you who are anxiously awaiting the last chapter of Fairy Penalty Game here's a bit of insider information: I have recorded the first chapter to post as an audiobook and am just editing some pieces. So my guess is that within the next week or so I'll get the last chapter written and posted with a link to listen to it on audiobook. How exciting (and nerve racking)!**

 **Okay love you guys!**

 **Stay fabulous!**

 **Musicera**


	10. Chapter 10

"Encounters"

. . .

"Laxus," the brunette huffed, making her way through the tall grass behind the hulking blonde. "When you said you wanted to see me again, this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Me either," Laxus admitted over his shoulder. "But something came up last minute. Don't worry, it won't take long."

Cana rolled her eyes. This was certainly the strangest date she'd ever been on—if this were even a date at all—she couldn't be sure. The two finally reached a clearing in the tall grass, and with the last of the setting sun's rays, they could see an oddly shaped object sitting in the center of the clearing.

Laxus approached it cautiously, while Cana followed behind him. It was some sort of long, black tube with an opening on one end and a hinge on the other. The man reached out to touch it tentatively but found it to be just an ordinary piece of metal. "Strange," he mumbled to himself.

"What's it aiming at?" Cana said, lifting her finger to point at the tree that was about one hundred feet away from their currently location. Laxus followed her gaze and was surprised to see a tree with a gaping hole right through its center.

"It must be some sort of weapon," Laxus surmised. "Come on," he said, grabbing Cana's hand and heading for the house's workshop. If what Bickslow said was true, the man left in a hurry and there was a good chance he left the place unlocked.

Laxus was pleased to see that the door was already swinging open when he approached. While he would have had no qualms about kicking it in, the place already being unlocked certainly made things easier. "Should we really be-?" Cana started but Laxus cut her off.

"It'll be fine. I just want to look around," he responded quickly, entering the place. He struck a match to light a candle at the center table before he began rifling through the pages that were strewn haphazardly across the surface. Cana leaned against the other end of the table watching the man work. This was the first time she had seen him so interested in something.

"What are you looking for exactly?" Cana inquired.

"Anything that looks like that thing outside," the blonde responded, throwing another page onto the floor.

Cana let her eyes sweep across the surface. She noticed a page that looked to be a design sketch right next to where she was sitting. "Like this?" she said, holding the page up to the light so Laxus could see.

The man tore the page out of her hand quickly to take a look at it, startling the brunette. But he quickly made amends when he smirked and rounded the table to where she was leaning against it, stuffing the page into his back pocket. He lifted her up so that she was sitting fully on the table and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist.

Laxus gripped the back of her neck firmly before bringing her in for a searing kiss. "Smart _and_ beautiful."

Cana blushed, grateful that there was so little light in the room. "Can we go now?" she asked, trying to recover.

"Yeah, I've just got one last thing to do and then we can do whatever you want," the large man responded. He moved to pull away from her but Cana used her legs to pull him back in.

"That's a dangerous game you're starting, Miss Alberona," Laxus said with a smirk. "You're more than likely to lose," he said, nipping at the base of her neck.

Cana hummed her approval before gathering the words to speak. "What do I get if I win?"

Laxus continued his tirade on her neck, moving to her shoulder. "You get fucked," he said, sucking a bit of skin into his mouth. Her entire body gave an involuntary shudder at his words.

"And what happens if I lose?" she managed to breathe out.

Laxus chuckled coyly against her skin, "You get fucked twice," he said in a heated whisper before biting harshly at the skin on her neck.

Cana gasped at the sensations that all seemed to be traveling straight down to her core. "Sounds like a game I'm interested in playing then," she said, pulling his hips into her further so she could rub against his increasing hardness.

Laxus quickly swiped his hand across the table, letting all the papers fall to the floor along with the candle, making the room go instantly dark. "Laxus!" Cana gasped, as she felt the man pressing her down onto the table. "We shouldn't!"

"Oh yes we should," he whispered against her skin, pressing her further into the unyielding surface. His hands came up, one snaking behind her neck while the other traveled up her body, removing her shirt on its assent. Cana lifted her arms, letting him pull the offending garment off her body and the man immediately started to bite and suck the tops of her breasts into his mouth.

"Oh! Laxus!" she moaned, as his tongue moved to lick in between her cleavage. Any concerns she had about their location moved to the wayside as the blonde worked his tongue over her body. The room was pitch black and she felt her senses heightening as a result.

She ran her hands along the man's bulging biceps, feeling them flex underneath her touch as he worked his way around her body. His other hand left her neck, trailing his fingers down her back until he finally unclasped her bra. The brunette felt her peaks stiffen at the sudden cold air they were exposed to but Laxus was on them immediately.

He sucked one peak into his mouth forcefully while he flicked its pair with his fingers. She could feel the wetness beginning to pool in her panties and she was nearly writhing on the table, begging him to put his fingers to her core to alleviate some of the tension.

Laxus was straining against his trousers and she could feel his ever-increasing size as he ground against her. She moaned with each thrust of his body, arching her back into his touch. Cana reached back with both hands, grabbing the opposite edge of the table as Laxus moved down her body, removing her pants as he worked his way down. "Fuck," the man breathed, taking in the full sight of the woman in front of him.

"What?" Cana managed to breath, lifting her head to catch his eye.

"I just love seeing you like this," he responded.

She let out a small laugh. "Like what?"

Laxus raised his eyebrow, moving over her naked form so he could whisper in her ear. "Your gorgeous body on display, spread out and dripping wet for me."

The brunette shuddered first at his words and then again as he moved his tongue down the center of her body, finally kneeling down in front of her core and draping her legs over his shoulders. Her hands ghosted up her own sides to hold her heavy breasts in each hand as Laxus began to work her from below. Slowly at first, he licked his way around her folds, being careful not to touch the sensitive skin. He wanted her absolutely begging for him before he'd finally relent.

Cana was moaning, trying to pull his head in closer to her with her legs but Laxus used his hands to keep her from moving. "Laxus," she moaned his name. He slowed his movements, wanting to hear her beg. "Please!" the words finally escaped her lips and he gave in to her demands.

He used his tongue to wet her folds, licking her up and down her already moist slit before sucking her pearl into his mouth. The woman gasped, moaning out his name before letting one hand trail fingers through his hair. On each swipe he got closer and closer to her entrance before he finally let his tongue slide all the way into her. The woman was in a frenzy and he could feel she was close to her edge. Moving back up, he began to flick her clit with a steady rhythm.

Laxus could feel her body tense around him. She was so close and he knew it. The muscles in his tongue were getting tired but he didn't care. He wanted to see her crest over the top and he'd hold out as long as it took to get her there. Slowly, he entered her with two fingers, just working her slick entrance and that's all it took. The woman screamed his name, her muscles clenching tight before she moaned out her release.

Laxus stood to his full height, towering over her and relishing the sight of her breathing out the last waves of her pleasure. When she finally opened her eyes, she smiled at him before sitting up. Reaching forward she pulled him between her legs and started unbuckling the belt to his pants. She grinned when he kicked his pants off to the side and reached up to undo the buttons of his purple silk shirt.

She pushed his shirt open, opting to still leave it on. She loved the look of the material hanging loosely around his bulging arms. Cana worked her way down the front of his chest, palming his equipment as she trailed her tongue down to the elastic of his boxers. The woman didn't hesitate. She linked both thumbs and pulled his briefs down, exposing him fully so she could take him into her mouth.

Laxus sighed, rolling his eyes back while Cana closed her lips around his incredibly erect manhood. No one could suck quite like the brunette and he absolutely loved the view of her working him from up above. His hands fisted into her hair, pulling it back so he could fully see her lips wrapped around his cock. She was bobbing her head up and down on his length and when she took him in fully to the back of her throat, she would press her tongue to the underside of his shaft, which had him feeling like he was about to crest himself.

He pulled back gently on her hair and Cana followed, making a popping noise when his rod left her lips. He reached down, directing her to stand before he picked her up and placed her on the edge of the table. She laid down, spreading herself for him and in one smooth stroke, he entered her, both of them moaning at the feeling.

Cana was already drifting the smooth current after her release so Laxus pounded into her with abandon, seeking his own. The velvety skin of his shaft moved against her tight walls, pushing him closer and closer to that edge. He grabbed the crease of her hips, pulling her down to meet his thrusts, loving the view of her tits bouncing from his effort. A few more forceful movements was all he needed before he was pulling out to spill his seed on her body.

Cana moaned at the feeling of his hot essence landing on her. Laxus collapsed next to her and the two shared a satisfied look, both of them breathing heavy from their efforts.

A few minutes later had the pair looking around the dark workshop trying to find their clothes. Cana managed to clean herself up mostly with her panties. Laxus gave her a knowing smirk when she'd done it and she'd merely stuck her tongue out at him.

"You know you love it," was all he'd said.

Cana sighed. "I do." Laxus chuckled to himself. _"There's no one quite like Cana when it comes to sex,"_ he thought to himself.

Checking to make sure he had the blueprints he'd originally come to the workshop for, he led the brunette out the door and into the cold night air. "You hungry?" Laxus asked, turning towards the woman.

Cana nodded. "Yeah, but I think I need a shower first," she laughed.

Laxus raised his eyebrow. "You want some help with that?"

"You're insatiable, you know that!" the woman said with fake exasperation.

"Yeah, but you love it," Laxus repeated.

Cana gave him a wink before saying, "Yeah, I do." She sighed, looking out at the night sky. "Guess I should head home. Thanks for the good, if weird, time," she said at the man before she started walking towards the road.

Laxus was taken aback. He didn't want her to leave and before he could process exactly what was going on in his damn head, he lunged forward, grabbing her hand before saying, "Come home with me."

Cana turned, "huh?" she said with surprise. She knew that Laxus had let her stay the night the last time they'd been together but, if she were honest, she knew that she had a part to play in that. Him inviting her over to his house, after they'd already had sex, well it just wasn't like the man. "Why?" was all she could manage to ask in the midst of her muddled thoughts.

Laxus shook his head, trying to shoo the weird feelings he was having towards this woman. "I've got a shower," he said with his classic smirk. "You're welcome to use it," he paused before adding, "for a fee."

Cana sauntered closer to the man, pulling herself tight to his body. "Oh, it's like that, is it?" Laxus nodded his head, bending down to swipe his tongue against her lips. "How's this then," Cana began, "you let me use your shower and I'll make us dinner. Sound like a deal?"

Laxus furrowed his brow in slight surprise. "You know how to cook?" he asked.

Cana slapped him playfully on the chest. "Of course I do," she said mirthfully. "Although, I do cook with a lot of red wine. Hope you've got some on hand."

"Always," Laxus replied, pulling her in to bite her lower lip before the two headed towards his house.

A fifteen-minute walk found the pair crossing the threshold to his home. Cana kicked her shoes off before walking towards the kitchen to open a bottle of wine. "Want a glass?" she shouted from the other room.

"Yeah," Laxus replied. "Just give me a minute and I'll join you." He stopped at the kitchen's entrance before saying, "and go get that shower warmed up." The woman threw him a saucy grin before he headed towards his office. Picking up the phone he quickly made a call. "Hey Bix, yeah it's me. Hey can you arrange to have that item we talked about picked up and brought to my house sometime tomorrow," he paused, "discreetly." The man nodded his head as his friend agreed. "Thanks man, I owe you one."

Cana poked her head into the office door before heading up the stairs. "I'm gonna be a little late into the office tomorrow morning," she heard the blonde say. He chuckled, adding "none of your damn business," before placing the phone on the receiver. The brunette hurried up the stairs, wine and glasses in hand, heading towards Laxus' master suite.

She grinned as she walked past the bed, remembering the last time they were in it together and getting slightly aroused at the memory. Entering the bathroom, she placed the wine glasses down on the vanity before turning the knobs to fill up the tub. Laxus entered the room in a few minutes, his silk shirt already unbuttoned and open, revealing his chiseled form. "No shower?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Cana tilted her head towards the tub. "Always wanted to use this since the first time I saw it," she admitted. She hoped he wouldn't be pissed.

"That's not part of the deal," he said, walking past her to grab a glass of wine. Cana looked up at him but she could see the mirth in his eyes.

"Hmm," she hummed. "I wonder what I could do to make it up to you?"

Laxus downed the entire glass in one gulp, feeling the heat move through his body. He moved towards her, picking her up and placing her on the vanity. She gasped at the cold stone underneath her backside. "I've got some ideas," he chuckled before smashing his lips against hers.

. . .

 _"Wait! Levy! Where are you going?" Natsu shouted after her._

 _Levy grabbed a cloak from the rack near the door without stopping. "Promise or no promise," she said, fastening the material around her, "I can't stay here another minute."_

 _"Oh no, wait! Please wait!" the teapot shouted after her, but Levy was already out the door, bracing herself against the cold wind that whipped through her flimsy dress. She willed herself not to look back at the crestfallen faces of those she left behind._

Levy ran into the stables, quickly pulling the bridle over Felipe's head and launching herself onto him bareback. Squeezing her legs against his sides she said, "Come on, Felipe! Let's get out of here!" Felipe responded instantly, taking himself through the stable doors and out into the roaring blizzard.

Snow whipped her hair around her face and her breath froze instantly in front of her. Both her and her horse felt completely at a loss on which way to go to get back home. The snow was piling up high and Felipe was having trouble moving through it with any sort of speed.

Her companion found what looked to be a trail and she steered him down the path. As Felipe tried his best to trot through the snow, a Vulcan approached them from in front. His stance was low and Levy saw a crazed look in his eyes. Others appeared on each side, looking equally as hungry.

Felipe startled, turning quickly to run in the opposite direction. Levy held on as best she could as her horse fought to get them away from the danger that was closing in. The Vulcans were fast, using their front arms to launch themselves up at her while they tried to get away. Felipe did his best to avoid them, causing two creatures to lose their footing and go tumbling into a tree in the snow.

Just when she thought they might get away safely, three of the largest Vulcans she'd ever seen cut them off from ahead. Felipe backed away cautiously but as one lunged towards him, her friend reared unexpectedly and Levy fell into the snow. She watched in fear as the Vulcans started lunging at her horse, but his reins had gotten caught in the tree branch next to them and it was all the animal could do to kick at the creatures, hoping to land a blow.

Levy picked up a large branch next to her. She wasn't going to just leave her friend to such a fate. She moved back to his side, hoping she could climb on but as soon as she did, the ape-like creatures started circling around her and Felipe. A few of them took test lunges at them, seeing what she would do. She swung her branch with all her might, hitting one in the snout, but another moved in too quickly, catching the branch with its hands and tossing it to the side.

She moved back against Felipe, fearing the worst, when suddenly and angry growl sounded around her. This time, the Vulcans froze in fear as a massive dragon descended on the scene. With one swipe of his tail, he easily took out three of the largest creatures, bashing them into the nearby trees with an ear-deafening crunch.

Levy turned towards Felipe's reins, working them away from the tree branch so she could set her friend free. A bloodcurdling roar made her turn around and she saw one of the creatures climbing onto Gajeel's back, using its fingers to rip metal scales from his body. The metal giant finally was able to turn enough to get his talons into the creature ripping him from his back.

As he wrenched the creature around, he planted it right below him into the snow. Levy winced at the brutality of the whole scene and again when she saw what must have been Vulcan blood spilling from beneath the creature. The other onlookers thought twice about messing with Gajeel when he stood up to his full height, glaring at them as if in challenge. They all turned hide and bolted into the darkness of the storm.

Levy looked up at the metal beast. He held her gaze briefly and for the smallest moment, she thought she recognized his red gaze. But her mind was quickly distracted when he suddenly collapsed into the snow.

The bluenette turned around towards her horse, still thinking she might return home. But as she thought about lifting herself onto Felipe, she realized that doing that might mean that the dragon behind her would die. _"I can't leave him here like this,"_ she sighed. _"Not after he came after me and risked his life for my safety."_

She turned back to Gajeel, approaching him cautiously. She gasped as she noticed a silver liquid oozing out of where his scales had been torn from his body. She unclasped her cloak and did her best to secure it over his wounds. "Gajeel," she said softly, afraid she might startle him awake. The iron giant cracked an eye open at her and groaned in pain. "Can you stand?" she asked him tentatively. "I can't lift you on my own."

The dragon let out a pained moan as he tried to stand up. Levy led Felipe over to him and the horse cautiously approached him before allowing Gajeel to use him for support. They walked back to the castle in silence. Thankfully, the storm had slowed and the sound of their footsteps in the softly falling snow was the only thing that broke the quiet.

END CHAPTER 10

. . .

 **Hello my lovely readers!**

 **So I'm hoping you are liking this story so far. I think we are finally getting to the good parts where the Gajevy relationship is going to begin to develop. I know it's taken a while for us to get here but I really didn't want to just copy B &TB. I kind of wanted to develop the side characters so that their motivations for their actions actually makes sense.**

 **Like Gaston's character in the movie just seems so one dimensional. I love the movie (it's seriously like my favorite movie of all time) but it doesn't really make sense for him to get the way he got about Belle, you know? So I just wanted to explore that character a bit more.**

 **But fear not! We are really getting into the good parts now of Gajeel and Levy's relationship and I'm pretty excited. So for those of you who have stuck with me so far, thank you! And for those of you leaving comments, you are awesome. Please know that it really does make a difference to us writers! There are definitely days where you just assume everyone that read the story but didn't comment hated the chapter lol!**

 **I also recognize that we really can't get to the Gajevy smut until the end (I mean unless you're into girl on dragon and quite frankly I don't even know how that would work and is definitely out of my wheelhouse LOL) but we're definitely gonna start to get some heavy fluff between those two. In the meantime you'll just have to enjoy some Laxana. Don't deny yourself, Laxus is a delicious character, and you know it :p**

 **Okay this A/N is way long. Time for me to shut up.**

 **Love you guys!**

 **Musicera**


	11. Chapter 11

"Conversations"

 **. . .**

 _She turned back to Gajeel, approaching him cautiously. She gasped as she noticed a silver liquid oozing out of where his scales had been torn from his body. She unclasped her cloak and did her best to secure it over his wounds. "Gajeel," she said softly, afraid she might startle him awake. The iron giant cracked an eye open at her and groaned in pain. "Can you stand?" she asked him tentatively. "I can't lift you on my own."_

 _The dragon let out a pained moan as he tried to stand up. Levy led Felipe over to him and the horse cautiously approached him before allowing Gajeel to use him for support. They walked back to the castle in silence. Thankfully, the storm had slowed and the sound of their footsteps in the softly falling snow was the only thing that broke the quiet._

. . .

Mira approached Levy cautiously, somewhat nervous to be around Gajeel in his current state. Levy smiled down at the pot and picked her up to pour the warmed water into a bowl. Wringing out a cloth the young woman approached the heaving dragon carefully. Gajeel growled at her as she approached with the cloth. "Hold still," she finally admonished as he shied away from the material.

She finally was able to get the warm water onto an area of his back where his scales had been torn from his body but he wrenched away from her as soon as the material touched him. "That hurt!" he bellowed. All of the furniture that was looking in timidly immediately cowered behind the girl.

Levy briefly thought of running away again. Here she was trying to help this brute and he was yelling at her. But then, the look of his red gaze looking at her in the snow flashed before her and she gathered her courage. "If you'd hold still it wouldn't hurt as much!" she barked back.

"Well, if you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened," he said looking oddly smug.

"Well if you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!" Levy immediately responded. Gajeel opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to come up with a response, which was so unlike him. He held still as she continued to press the hot cloth into his back, soothing his irritated scales. "By the way," she said, not looking up to meet his eyes. "Thank you, for saving my life."

Gajeel looked at this small woman he previously thought was so frail. But now he was seeing her in a different light, seeing her strength. "You're welcome," he said simply, allowing her to continue healing him.

. . .

"I don't usually meet this late in the evening, Laxus," the sheriff said, taking a seat in Laxus' office. "But I was told you'd make it worth my while." Laxus raised his brow at the man. He was somewhat surprised that the man was so willing to be bribed. He threw him a bag of coin and the officer smirked. "I'm listening," he said coyly.

"It's like this: I've got a little vendetta against the McGardens. Seems like the little bitch thinks herself too good for me," Laxus seethed.

"Turned him down flat!" Bickslow cackled from where he was leaning in the corner of the office. Laxus gave him a hard glare and the man quieted his laughter.

"So while I was taking a walk the other day, I came across this," Laxus threw the blueprint for the device in front of the officer.

"Looks like you walked write into the man's home, Laxus," the sheriff furrowed his brow.

"The point is," Laxus redirected the conversation. "It would hit Levy really hard if her father were locked up."

"So you want me to throw her father in jail because of his invention? Everyone knows Makarov is just a harmless inventor." The sheriff wasn't past taking bribes but he still wanted to keep his job.

Laxus pulled the sheet back over to his side of the desk and pointed at the blueprint. "This is a violent weapon, sheriff. Surely you could have someone arrested for threatening the peace and safety of the town."

The sheriff let the ride side of his mouth curl up into a smug smile. "Oh, that is perfect. I love it!"

. . .

"If no one will help me, then I'll go back alone!" Makarov said, gathering whatever he could find into his bag. "I don't care what it takes. I'll find that castle and somehow I'll get her out of there!" Makarov stormed out his house, bent on rescuing his daughter. He hadn't even noticed that the door to his workshop was swinging open, too intent on rescuing Levy.

Just as he disappeared through the trees on foot towards where he remembered the castle being, Laxus and Bickslow approached the house. "Looks like he ain't here, boss," Bickslow said, looking through the home's window.

"They have to come back sometime," Laxus said gruffly. "When they do, we'll be ready for them." Laxus pointed to the house's workshop. "Hide in there, Bix. When they return, go directly to the sheriff."

Bickslow nodded at him uncertainly. He knew he was probably going to regret saying this, but he felt like he should. "You really want to go through with this boss? I know she really pissed you off but, don't you think getting her father arrested like this is going too far?" Laxus leveled his friend a hard gaze. "I'm just sayin', you've got a great thing going with Cana. I don't see why you can't let this go."

Laxus chose not to address his friend's doubts. Instead he just turned and said, "go to the police when they come home, Bix." The tall man sighed as he turned towards the workshop. Maybe one of these days, his friend would learn how to be happy.

END CHAPTER 11

. . .

 **Hello my long lost readers!**

 **I know it's been so long since I updated this story and I am deeply sorry. Please don't worry, I have not abandoned! I just started a new job and have been very busy and so now I'm only starting to find time to write. But all your comments asking me to update really pushed me to sit down and get back into this lovely little tale so thank you for that!**

 **I know this is a shorter chapter but I want the next part to be all together so that's why I broke it off here. Tell me what you guys think!**

 **Sending you guys all my love over the holiday. As I said in a different A/N for a different story, I'm totally not feeling Christmas this year and I know the holidays can be hard for people. If anyone is feeling down and needs someone to talk to, please PM me. I am here and would love to Grinch it up with you!**

 **Love!**

 **Musicera**


	12. Chapter 12

"Threads"

. . .

 _Levy briefly thought of running away again. Here she was trying to help this brute and he was yelling at her. But then, the look of his red gaze looking at her in the snow flashed before her and she gathered her courage. "If you'd hold still it wouldn't hurt as much!" she barked back._

"Well, if you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened," he said looking oddly smug.

"Well if you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!" Levy immediately responded. Gajeel opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to come up with a response, which was so unlike him. He held still as she continued to press the hot cloth into his back, soothing his irritated scales. "By the way," she said, not looking up to meet his eyes. "Thank you, for saving my life."

Gajeel looked at this small woman he previously thought was so frail. But now he was seeing her in a different light, seeing her strength. "You're welcome," he said simply, allowing her to continue healing him.

. . .

Gajeel watched Levy walk through the gardens from a nearby balcony. Her bright blue hair contrasted against the green in a way that had him following her movements without realizing it.

"She is very beautiful, isn't she?" Gajeel nodded at Mira's question before realizing it.

He sighed, turning his head to face the small teapot. "I've never felt like this about anyone before." Mira stayed silent, not wanting to push the big dragon any further. This was the first time he had ever been able to admit any sort of feelings. "I want to do something for her!" he said with conviction and the silver pot smiled.

"I've got an idea, come with me!" she said, hopping down from the bannister. Gajeel risked taking one last glance at the woman who was idly strolling through the rose bushes before he turned on his heel to follow the little creature. Down below, Levy looked up at the last minute, to catch the large dragon leaving the area.

. . .

Strolling through the flower gardens had quickly become a favorite pastime for her. While it was still technically winter, some of the hardier plants were beginning to show signs of life. Breathing the fresh air outside was one of the small joys she found while locked in this castle.

Things between her and Gajeel had become-easier-since that night she tried to run away. Him coming after her to save her, even after she had tried to flee from him, had shown her that he truly did have some kindness in his heart.

She struggled to understand why someone would want to rescue a girl he meant to keep his prisoner, however. The whole thing just didn't make sense to her.

The relationship between the two had become easier as well. After that evening, she had relented to dining with him and found that he wasn't the worst company-in fact, she had to admit that she rather enjoyed their brief conversations, once she got over how terrifying his form was.

She knew he was watching her as she walked around the gardens. He had done it for the past few days and while at first, she objected to him intruding on her quiet time, now, she found herself not necessarily minding.

She watched as he turned on his heel, his large silver form reflecting the beautiful sunlight from the morning sky. Turning back to the rose bushes, she smiled as she saw a small bud beginning to form on one of the vines.

. . .

"Just follow the sound of my voice," he said, trying to sound as non-intimidating as possible as he led Levy through the castle hallways.

She had been apprehensive when he asked if she would wear a blindfold. The blue-haired girl had narrowed her eyes and given him a stare that even Black Steel had cringed under. But when he met her gaze with nothing but sincerity, she relented.

Mira had watched the entire exchange from the sidelines with approving eyes. Perhaps Gajeel didn't understand what had happened, but the girl had, for the first time since arriving here, willingly given up something and showed a good deal of trust in the large beast.

"Almost there," Gajeel said and Levy nodded her understanding, taking measured steps with her vision blocked. "Okay, hold on, just a minute," the dragon said, opening the large oak doors in front of him. Levy felt a woosh of air and furrowed her brow. She felt a brief flash of panic. Things had been going so well with Gajeel since that fateful evening; he wouldn't consider throwing her back in some dungeon now, would he?

She cast the thought out of her mind, not wanting to doubt the creature that had shown her nothing but hospitality since and waited patiently for his direction.

"Okay," he said, trying to contain an emotion he didn't fully understand. "You can remove the blindfold." He watched with anticipation as Levy removed the cloth covering her eyes and blinked her vision into focus. There before her was the largest library she had ever seen. Books covered ever wall all the way up to the ceiling and without realizing it, she was running into the room, letting her fingers drag across the spines.

"Oh, Gajeel! It's wonderful!" she laughed the words and the Iron dragon couldn't help but feel pride at her words. He tried to process the emotions he was feeling. Was this-happiness? It had been so long since he had been truly happy that the sensation felt extremely odd.

The woman ran back to him, bringing herself closer than she had ever been before. She reached out, touching his scale covered arm and looked up into his red gaze. "Have you read all of these?"

Gajeel chuckled at her question. "Not even close." This had been his Guild's library before everything had been transformed. A few of the members used it quite frequently, opting to take more information-oriented mercenary work, but he had never had any reason to come into the library. "Was never really my thing."

"But you can read, right?" Levy asked with wide eyes.

Gajeel nodded, his scales rubbing against each other, filing the room with the odd sound. "Yeah. It's been a really long time though."

Levy looked pensive for a minute before turning her gaze back to him. "Would you enjoy reading some of these with me?"

For a second, Gajeel almost responded on instinct, which would have been to turn her down immediately, for fear that she might make fun of him. But when he looked into her eyes, he realized she had made the offer with sincerity. "All right," he responded. "But just for a little bit."

She giggled and moving to stand up on tiptoes, she planted a small peck against his face before turning her attention back to the rows of books.

. . .

 _"You really want to go through with this boss? I know she really pissed you off but, don't you think getting her father arrested like this is going too far?" Laxus leveled Bickslow a hard gaze. "I'm just sayin', you've got a great thing going with Cana. I don't see why you can't let this go."_

 _Laxus chose not to address his friend's doubts. Instead he just turned and said, "go to the police when they come home, Bix." The tall man sighed as he turned towards the workshop. Maybe one of these days, his friend would learn how to be happy._

. . .

No matter how many times Makarov went to search the forest, he always ended up in Magnolia. When the old man showed up in the city after first leaving in search of his daughter, he thought for sure he had just made a wrong turn and went back out in search of the iron castle. He went first around the city, asking residents if they had ever come across the strange structure, but had no success. Then he turned his attention to travelers on the road, but didn't have any luck there either.

As the days began to blur into weeks, feeling utterly broken and depressed the man returned back home. Closing the door behind him he sighed and let his pack fall to the floor. Walking over to the bookshelf, he took down the small portrait of him and his daughter he had commissioned and began to weep. The man was so distraught, he hadn't even realized the taller blue-haired man slip out the back door and head back into town.

Knocking on the sheriff's door, he was instructed to enter. "Bickslow, what do I owe the pleasure?" the man said with a sly smile.

The taller man shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Makarov is back home. I've been instructed to let you know."

A smile broke out across the sheriff's face and he jumped to his feet. He clapped Bickslow on the shoulder as he exited the room, leaving the man alone and completely distraught.

. . .

Laxus received the phone call in his office later that evening. "He's been apprehended. I've got him in lockup and once he's arraigned, he'll be moved to the jail outside the city."

"When will that happen?" Laxus inquired.

"Depends," was the sheriff's easy response. "I've gotta get any evidence I can against the man to the town prosecutor. If you've been," he cleared his throat before continuing, "holding onto something that might be helpful, now would be the time to let it surface."

A grin broke out across Laxus' face as he opened his desk drawer. Pulling the weapon out, he fake aimed it at the window. "Understood."

Cana watched as Laxus hung up the phone and moved over to his desk. "Can I see?"

Laxus narrowed his eyes at the brunette before putting the device back into his desk. "Better not, babe. Could be dangerous."

Cana moved so that she circled the man's shoulders with her arms. "You know I like danger," she breathed against his ear and Laxus let himself fall back into her embrace slightly. She had been coming around the office more and more. He hadn't truly meant for it to happen but it had and he couldn't say he minded. Having her here was somehow calming.

"Is that right?" Laxus responded with a suggestive smile.

Cana was quick to catch on and flashed him her own smile as she knelt between his legs under his desk.

. . .

It had been a few weeks since Gajeel had gifted Levy the library when she came across a rather interesting book in her studies. "Gajeel!" she motioned to the large dragon that had taken to lounging near the fire while she did her studying for the day. "Take a look at this!"

She ran over to where he was laying and opened the book to him. The large creature narrowed his red eyes to try and make sense of what she was showing him. "What it is?" he gruffed.

"Don't you recognize it?" Gajeel shook his head and she continued, "It looks just like the blue orb in your room." As soon as the words left her lips, Levy realized that the two hadn't fully discussed what had happened that evening. She stalled, not certain of what Gajeel's response would be, but he surprised her.

"What does it say?" he encouraged, nodding towards the book.

Levy smiled a bit at him before continuing. "It says that this is a gift bestowed by an Enchantress." Levy read from the large volume, "Anytime an Enchantress calls upon a person's hospitality, they will leave them with an extremely rare gift, pictured above. To date, such objects have not been studied and their true powers remain a mystery."

Gajeel began to look agitated and Levy immediately clammed up, uncertain if she had pushed him too far. "That book's got it all backwards. That thing wasn't a gift. It was a fucking curse."

"Gajeel," Levy said hesitantly, trying to give him a reassuring look. "What happened to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," the large creature huffed, turning back to the fire.

Levy hesitated before deciding to test her luck. "Well, would you mind if I took a look at it?"

Gajeel grunted. "Sure. And I'll show you the other thing that bitch left if you want."

Levy nodded, trying not to seem too excited. Ever since she came to this castle, she wanted to figure out exactly what was going on. All of the furniture immediately changed the subject when she brought it up and she had never actually asked Gajeel directly. Perhaps this would be her first true lead. While she had a hunch that the creature had been visited by an Enchantress in the past, she wasn't sure how all the pieces fit together.

She hesitated to follow Gajeel into what she now understood was his room but as he turned around, his gaze softened and he reached back for her with a taloned claw. Gently, he took her hand against his and pulled her along beside him.

The room was different than she remembered from the night weeks ago. The broken furniture that was scattered about the room was no more and as she walked, Levy realized there was no broken glass crunching under feet. Walking towards the balcony, Gajeel pulled a curtain back and Levy let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she took in the globe. She got close and looked at it only to discover it wasn't playing any images like it had been the last time she visited.

Levy turned her attention back to Gajeel. "You said there was a second gift?"

The beast huffed at the mention of a gift but lifted a mirror from a side table for Levy to examine nonetheless. As soon as the mirror was put before the girl, she gasped as she saw her father, being roughed up and placed under arrest. "What is the meaning of this? I don't understand?" he said as he was dragged his home.

Levy dropped the mirror and Gajeel quickly reached out to catch it and her before she crumbled to the floor. "What's the matter? What did you see?" he asked with real worry.

Tears began to stream from her eyes. "It's my father," she managed to get out. "Something's wrong. He's being arrested and they're hurting him."

Gajeel looked at the girl and a sad realization came over him. He had truly come to enjoy her company here in the castle. Things had seemed easier and not as bleak. The two had shared some real conversations over the past weeks about themselves and Gajeel found that she had a way of getting even him to open up. He had shared things with her without even realizing it, so much so that he realized he was truly starting to trust the little woman.

But as he looked at her, sobbing on the floor about her father, he knew what he needed to do. "You should go to him."

Her sobbing stopped at his words and she looked up, wiping tears from her eyes. "What did you say?"

"He needs you. You should go to him," he said again, more firmly.

"But," she hiccuped as she tried to get the words out. "I'm your prisoner. I gave you my word that I would stay here in his place. Why does his life suddenly matter to you?"

Gajeel softened his gaze. "You've come to matter to me. And he matters to you. So go. Help your father."

Levy stood and moved to wrap her arms around has much of the beast as she could. He stayed frozen in place as she did, not knowing how to respond. When she pulled back, Gajeel handed her the mirror. "Take this with you. Maybe it can help you somehow."

Levy smiled up at him as she took the gift carefully. "I promise I'll return."

Those words shocked the creature but he nodded, understanding what the woman was saying to him. "I trust you. Now go!"

END CHAPTER 12

. . .

Hello lovers!

I'm so sorry that this story has remained stagnant for so long. I ended up getting side tracked on new projects I started and this one inadvertently fell by the wayside.

So, I really have to dedicate the revival of this story to "naluloverr" who wrote me a comment just a few days ago asking me to continue. Thank you, my dear. Your words inspired me to put fingers to keyboard on this tale again and that truly means so much!

I hope you guys enjoy this next installment. We are fast coming to the climax of this story and I'm so excited to weave all these threads together!

That's all for now!

Sending you my love!

Musicera


	13. Chapter 13

"Conversations"

 _Levy stood and moved to wrap her arms around has much of the beast as she could. He stayed frozen in place as she did, not knowing how to respond. When she pulled back, Gajeel handed her the mirror. "Take this with you. Maybe it can help you somehow."_ _Levy smiled up at him as she took the gift carefully. "I promise I'll return."_ _Those words shocked the creature but he nodded, understanding what the woman was saying to him. "I trust you. Now go!"_

Levy quickly mounted Felipe and spared one last glance at the castle as she rode as fast as she could towards home. She had given Gajeel her word that she would return, and she truly meant it.

But for now, she needed to get back to her father and figure out what was going on. In a shorter amount of time than seemed possible, she arrived back at her house, just in time to see the carriage pulling away with her father.

"Stop!" she yelled as she reared Felipe in front of the vehicle.

"What is the meaning of this?" the sheriff responded, getting down from his perch. "Do you want to wind up arrested like your father?"

"On what charges?" Levy asked directly, staying up on her horse.

"I'm sure we can come up with something," the sheriff said with a sly smile.

"Where are you taking him? And on what grounds?" Levy demanded.

The sheriff got back into his seat and directed the carriage around the girl. "Why don't you ask Laxus," he shouted back at her before he led her father away.

The blond barely had time to put down the receiver before the blue-haired girl came bursting into his office, security guards on her heels. Laxus signaled to them that they could leave and they did so, exiting out the large glass doors.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Ms. McGarden?" Laxus said with a smug smile.

"Why did you have my father arrested?" Levy demanded, letting her emotions get the better of her.

Laxus feigned shock. "I'm certain I don't know what you mean. I am not the police of this town. Perhaps you should ask the sheriff."

Levy narrowed her eyes. "I did. And he indicated that I should speak with you."

"How interesting," Laxus hummed before standing up at his desk and turning to look out his window. Levy stayed quiet, not sure how to proceed but Laxus broke the silence. "Your father returned from his trip to Magnolia raving that you had been kidnapped by a dragon. Could this be true?"

Levy paused. If she told Laxus the truth, he would surely go after Gajeel. But if she lied, it would make things more difficult for her father. She gasped as she felt large fingers under her chin. Laxus had crossed the room and brought her eyes to look at his while she had been lost in thought.

"Oh my God, it is true, isn't it?" It was plain on the girls face. She wasn't ever one to hide the truth and he could see it clear as day that her father hadn't been lying. "Where is the creature? It must be destroyed!"

"Laxus, no!" Levy nearly screamed as he leaned over his desk to pick up his phone.

"No?" Laxus said with an arched eyebrow. "You were kidnapped by a dragon, were you not? Why would you want to protect it?"

"He isn't dangerous. And he's not a threat to the town," she said quietly, still not sure if she should be admitting anything about Gajeel.

"That has yet to be seen," Laxus said. Levy panicked and tried to stop him from making a call, but as soon as she made the move, the big blond signaled to his security guards that were waiting outside.

The two men filed into the room and all but lifted Levy off of their boss. "Laxus, please! Don't!" she said as she struggled against the two men.

Laxus seethed, walking straight up to her. "You had your chance at telling me what to do. I offered you the world and you turned it down. Don't think I've forgotten," he nearly spat. "Get her out of my sight," he said with a wave of his hand.

As soon as the men had left, taking the blue-haired problem with them, Laxus moved to sit down in a chair facing his desk. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Just before he closed his eyes, a glint from the floor caught his eye. Bending down, he picked up a small, intricate silver mirror.

Bringing it to his face, the image swirled and he saw a large silver dragon atop a rusty looking iron castle. A small smile broke out across Laxus' face and with renewed energy, he stood up to make a call.

Levy hit the street hard as the two men threw her outside the office building. Feeling completely hopeless, she resigned herself to going home. As she walked, she kept her gaze on the ground and nearly fell backwards when she bumped into something.

Looking up, she met Bickslow's green gaze. She'd had a few discussions with the man and knew that despite the company he kept, he was actually a pretty decent person. "Sorry, Bickslow," she said softly.

"It's no worries little blue," he said with a sad smile. "Hey, uh," he hesitated, not sure if he should say what he was about to say. "Levy, can we talk?"

The two walked back to Levy's house together and there, Levy learned everything about Laxus' plan. Bickslow had admitted that he shouldn't be telling her any of this and if there was any way to get things set right without getting his friend in trouble, he really wanted things to work out that way. But, he knew Laxus was going down a bad road and he felt it was his duty as his friend to stop him.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't have helped sooner. Where've you been all this time?" he asked with earnesty.

Levy gulped. She didn't know whether she should tell him. But as she looked into his eyes, she realized that she would need to learn to start trusting people if she wanted to get her father back.

The two worked together to devise a plan. "Look," Bickslow explained. "Your father was arrested for building a weapon."

"A weapon?" Levy looked confused.

"Yeah, that cannon thing."

"That's not a weapon," Levy explained. "It was supposed to be used in construction and demolition of buildings. He would never have designed something he thought could be used as a weapon."

"Well, that's what they're hanging on him." Bickslow looked pensive. "Is there any way you think this dragon would make an appearance?"

Levy furrowed her brow. "I highly doubt it."

"That's a real shame. Because, if he did, then your father's invention just might become justified."

Levy took in a deep breath. She was almost positive she would never get Gajeel to leave his fortress. And she wouldn't want to put him in any sort of danger either. If he showed himself, the town would certainly try and find him. She explained all this to Bickslow.

"Yeah, but isn't it an enchanted fortress. No one's ever been able to find it. If he returns quickly, he won't be in danger."

Levy let her head fall to the table. "I guess I could try and talk to him," she said with a defeated sigh.

"If it doesn't work, come back and we'll try something else. He'll be in custody for a while, but at least he's safe. But let's give this a shot first."

Levy sat up straight and nodded, trying to find encouragement in her new friend. "Thank you, Bickslow. I know that this must be hard for you, given your history with Laxus."

Bickslow looked sad for a moment before wiping it away and breaking out a small smile. "He's pulled me up when I wanted to stay down before. I owe this to him, whether he understands that or not."

The two embraced before saying their goodbyes and Levy set out, intent on returning to Gajeel.

Gajeel paced back and forth across his bedroom, not paying particular attention to what furniture he was knocking down with his tail.

"Careful!" the featherduster scolded. "I just cleaned up this room for you!"

Natsu looked at his love with sad eyes. "I'll try and talk some sense into him, Lucy. Better leave in case he gets angry."

The blonde plume headed back downstairs, swaying her feathers as she floated away. The candelabra sighed and turned his attention back to the beast at hand. "Gajeel, she's only been gone for one day. Surely, you can pull yourself together. It may be a long time before she returns."

"I'm tired of waiting," he said, not stopping his pacing.

Natsu sighed, his flames burning a bit lower. The sound of hoofprints ringing across the fortress had both of them looking at each other and running to the balcony. Gajeel hoped that perhaps Levy had returned to him quickly after all, but as he saw a large blond man riding up to his front door, flanked by police officers, his heart fell.

"How?" Natsu began to say before Gajeel hushed the little candle.

"She must have given him the mirror. I should have known better than to trust her," he said with anger clear on his features.

Natsu winced. "There's no guarantee that's what happened."

"It's pretty obvious. And without that mirror, she'll never be able to find her way back here. It's hopeless."

Felipe was exhausted as Levy continued to wander her way through the forest. "I don't understand how we could have gotten lost, Felipe!" she said with increasing agitation. The two had made it back to town so quickly and it had been hours since her talk with Bickslow and she was still no closer to seeing anything that resembled the fortress.

She climbed down from Felipe and tied him to a nearby tree so that he might rest. She leaned against the opposite side of the trunk and just as she was about to give up for the day, a bright light caught her eye in the distance.

"Stay here, boy," she said to her friend as she walked towards the glow. She continued to follow the light but it finally faded and she found herself in front of little cottage hidden amongst the trees. Levy looked around uncertainly before knocking. She wasn't sure why she had done it, but something in her felt like it was leading her to this place.

As soon as her knuckles left the wood, the door swung open and she was confronted with an elderly woman. She was petite and had the brightest pink hair Levy had ever seen. "What do you want?"

"I'm not sure," Levy responded truthfully.

The woman narrowed her eyes at the girl before grabbing her by the hand and all but pushing her into her home. "Sit, there," she ordered and Levy complied, taking a seat on a nearby chair.

"Now. You're looking for the dragon, aren't you?" Levy bit her lip. "Answer me child!" Levy gasped and nodded her head in panic. "That's better." She turned her gaze on Levy intently. "Why are you looking for him."

"I need his help," Levy responded honestly.

"Why would anyone seek help from a dragon?" the woman scoffed, trying to goad the girl.

Levy did her best to remain seated but she grew angry. "He's not some monster!"

"Oh really? What's he to you?" the woman laughed.

Levy hesitated. What was he to her? He was no longer her captor. But was he her friend? Was that word enough to even encompass what their relationship had become?

"He's my friend, and I trust him to help me," Levy finally responded and was amazed when the woman's hard demeanor changed to one of happiness.

The older woman moved forward and embraced the young girl. "Then go to him." As she said those words, Levy blinked her eyes open to find herself leaning against the tree trunk she had tied Felipe to. Shaking the odd encounter from her mind, not truly knowing whether it was real or if she was dreaming, she mounted Felipe and within minutes, found herself back at Gajeel's fortress.

"Beast!" Laxus roared. "Come on out, beast! There's no need to be scared," he said in a patronizing tone.

Gajeel watched with sadness from his balcony. When he turned around to leave the room, Natsu stopped him with a touch to his claw. "What are you going to do?"

"It doesn't matter now," he said, wrenching his claw away and bounding down to the door.

END CHAPTER 13

 **Hello lovers!** **Pretty quiet after the last posting. Hoping you'll leave more feedback on this one as the story starts to ramp up before its ending. I know I left out some main parts of the story, like the dance, but I didn't really feel like it fit these two. That being said, it is possible that it will make an appearance later on in the story! So don't give up hope.** **I'll be honest, it's been so long since I updated this story that I can't remember all the small details that I had written. One guest reviewer asked about Lucy. It had been my intent to make her Plumette and I cannot remember if she was mentioned in the past, but if not, she's here now. This story really isn't focused on the Natsu/Lucy or other characters as much as it's a character development story between Gajeel and Levy and Laxus and Cana.** **Anyways, hope you guys like this chapter! I was happy to write Bickslow doing the right thing. Sometimes it can be tough, but it's still necessary!** **All the love!** **Musicera**


	14. Chapter 14

"Truth"

…

"Beast!" Laxus roared. "Come on out, beast! There's no need to be scared," he said in a patronizing tone.

Gajeel watched with sadness from his balcony. When he turned around to leave the room, Natsu stopped him with a touch to his claw. "What are you going to do?"

"It doesn't matter now," he said, wrenching his claw away and bounding down to the door.

…

The scene upon which Levy entered was truly horrific. Laxus and some sort of mercenary force had swarmed the fortress. Looking up at the Iron peaks, Laxus had Gajeel cornered.

"I've got to get the him!" Levy said aloud frantically. She quickly jumped down from Felipe and ran into the castle. Taking the steps two at a time, she made her way back up to the tower he had first held her prisoner.

Carefully, she inched her foot outside the window, clinging the the medal structure as she tried to make her way towards the iron dragon. The wind whipped her coat around her and her blue hair blew into her face.

"Gajeel!" she yelled as loud as she could!.

Further away, Gajeel was engaged with Laxus. The dragon just didn't have it in him to fight, despite all of the man's goading.

"What's the matter beast? Too kind and trusting to fight back?" He let out a booming laugh. "What, did you think you could trust someone like her?"

Gajeel groaned and crouched lower behind the current pillar obscuring his view. He didn't even know why he was bothering, he should just step out and let the man end it all. He felt so tired already. And perhaps, with his death, his Guildmates would go free. He at least owed it to them to try.

Stepping out from behind his spire, he left himself open on purpose. Laxus scoffed and twirled a medal device around his finger. "You see this? Her father designed it to kill you. She wasn't here to be your friend, she was here to collect Intel on you." Laxus was lying, of course, but it angered him that this dragon wasn't putting up a fight. He wouldn't be able to brag about this encounter the way he wanted if it looked like it was an easy kill.

Gajeel opened his eyes wide at that statement, not wanting to believe it but not knowing what to think. That's when he heard her voice, carrying across the fortress. "Gajeel!"

"Levy?" he turned to try and see her but just as she did, Laxus pulled the trigger on the device and a blue blast went sailing past him, grazing his shoulder.

He howled in pain as it tore scales away from his body and shred his flesh as it passed. He lost his grip on the spire in the process and began to slide down the castle.

"Gajeel, no!" Levy panicked. She felt completely helpless as she watched his body fall towards the ground. Breathing a sigh of relief and shedding tears of panic, she watched him grab another spire with his tail so he slowed his descent to the ground.

Laxus laughed, before jumping down to follow the dragon. Stepping back in through the window, Levy ran as fast as she could back down the stairs. Tripping over her own feet in her hurry, she fell to the floor just in front of Gajeel as Laxus and his officers swarmed around Gajeel.

"Levy?" Gajeel said, clearly in pain. Silver liquid was gushing from where his arm was torn and as Levy looked into his eyes, she could see he was in tremendous pain. "What happened? How did you make it back?"

Levy hushed the big dragon. "Don't talk now. I'm sorry. I lost the mirror when I confronted Laxus about my father. I never knew-" she began to sob on his chest, unable to finish her words.

"It's okay," Gajeel spoke.

"What?" Levy said, looking up, startled. "How-?"

How could Gajeel possibly believe her. After what Laxus had told him and done to him. After he found the hidden fortress and shot him with some perversion of her father's invention.

"Because, I trust you, Levy." As Gajeel said the words, he knew he meant them. All the pain and anger in his life that he had held onto from his father leaving left him with that breath. He didn't even question what Laxus had said. Looking into her eyes was all the proof he needed that this woman was here for him and would never do anything to hurt him.

"Well, isn't this sweet," Laxus said with a sarcastic tone as he approached the front of the group. "Move aside, Levy. It's time to let the beast go."

"No!" the girl screamed. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to go through me first," she said as she flung her small body across Gajeel.

"That can most certainly be arranged," Laxus said, taking aim with the device.

"Laxus, no!" The big blond whipped around as he heard his best friend's voice.

"Bickslow? What the fuck are you doing here?" he growled. His features softened though when Cana stepped out from behind his friend. "Cana?"

"We followed Levy through the woods," Bickslow responded.

"Please, don't do this, Laxus. Let it all go. I know you are trying to prove yourself somehow through this, but you don't need to. You have people waiting for you back home that love you," the girl said, full of emotion.

"Love?" Laxus choked the words out and Cana nodded. He looked at her and she nodded her head. That was all Laxus had ever truly wanted in this world. In many ways, he felt as alone as the dragon living in his fortress. He always thought it was his father's love he had been trying to earn, never knowing why the man had chosen to abandon him but, as he stood there, looking at his best friend and the woman he had come to care for, his own anguish began to fade away.

Tears began to well in his eyes and before he knew it, he had dropped the device to the floor.

A shot rang out and a scream died on the wind. Turning around, Laxus looked on in horror as a faint blue glow emanated from Levy's chest. Gajeel let out a howl of despair as he held the woman in his arms.

"Levy, no, please, God, no!" he howled so loud that everyone around him had to cover their ears.

"Goodness, you make such a racket," an elderly voice rang out across the entire group. Walking slowly towards the fortress was the pink haired woman Levy had met in the forest.

Seeing her, Gajeel instantly growled as she approached close, recognizing her instantly. "Witch! You're the one who cursed me!"

The woman scoffed. "And you're lucky I did, the way you were headed."

Laxus, Bickslow and Cana looked on in astonishment as the woman knelt in front of the beast. "I'll need my mirror," she said, holding a hand out to Laxus.

The big man wiped tears from his eyes and grabbed the object from his belt, not daring to fight with the woman. He could feel her power from where he was kneeling and knew better that she was something not to be trifled with.

"I never said you could give my mirror away, you know." She spoke to Gajeel in a scolding tone. As she talked, she worked her hands over the object and Gajeel looked on in wide eyes as it shifted into a small fluid ball. Separating the liquid, she pressed half into where the girl had been hit and the other half into his shoulder.

"There. That should fix you both," she said, standing up. Gajeel was about to speak but Levy blinked her eyes open and he was instantly distracted.

"Levy?" he said incredulously.

Levy lifted her fingers to his face and smiled. "I'm so glad you're safe." Levy blinked her eyes as as she looked over at the pink haired woman. "Who is she?"

Gajeel gulped. He'd never told her before that he was under a curse. Would she still feel the same way about him if she knew? Swallowing his pride and allowing his feelings of trust fill him for the woman in his arms, he took a deep breath. "She's the woman who cursed me. I wasn't born this way, Levy. Underneath it all, I'm actually human."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the pink haired woman smiled and waved her hands. Gajeel's body began to lift off the ground and was surrounded by an intense light.

Levy fell to the floor and pushed back quickly. She and the others looked up in awe, shielding their eyes from the intensity of it all.

"Gajeel. I am proud of you. You have found yourself through friendship and trust. Do not forget the lessons I taught you and know that I am always with you."

Gajeel heard the voice in his mind clearly. It was his father's voice, Metalicana's voice! "Father!" he called out but the vision was over too soon and he quickly found himself back on the ground.

"Father!" he repeated again and stopped in shock at the sound of his voice. Putting his hands up to his throat, his eyes went wide when he felt his own skin and not with claws, but with actual hands.

Levy looked in awe as a man fell to the earth from the bright sphere Gajeel had been trapped in. Turning around, he looked at her and she knew it instantly.

"Gajeel?" she said, scrambling over to his side. "It's really you?" She knew it the moment she looked into his crimson gaze. It was Gajeel, there was no mistaking it. She reached up, running her fingers through his long dark locks before tracing the small metal rivets down the sides of his nose and eyebrows.

She barely had a moment to catch her breath before the man moved in to capture her lips. They were soft and as she breathed in, his iron scent was still the same and she melted into his embrace.

A loud noise distracted them and had everyone turning their attention to the fortress. Mouths dropped open as the castle began to shrink in size. Living furniture began pouring out, surrounded by their own glowing light before people dropped to the ground.

Gajeel rushed forward towards them. "Natsu?!" he exclaimed as the candelabra revealed a pink headed young man. "Gray, and Mira? Wendy too! Oh my God, you're all here!"

Gajeel very uncharacteristically embraced all his old Guildmates, elated that everyone had made it through the curse.

Turning back around, Gajeel was shocked to find Laxus striding up to him, his hand outstretched. Gajeel took the offer uncertainly and Laxus bowed. "I am sorry. I allowed my pride to cloud my judgment. I spoke lies earlier but you saw through them. I ask for your forgiveness."

Gajeel nodded and pulled the man in for an embrace without saying a word. When the two parted, Laxus stepped back and Cana ran into his arms, kissing him for all she was worth. Laxus broke the encounter and much to Cana's shock, knelt down on one knee. "Cana Alberona. You've given me something I never thought I deserved. If you'll marry me, I promise I'll work the rest of my life to show you I deserve it."

Cana could barely get her words of acceptance out of her mouth before she was leaping into the blonde's arms.

Bickslow nearly cried at the scene before him. As he put his hand in his own pocket, he gripped the ring he had bought for Lisana, vowing to do the same for her as soon as he returned home.

The pink haired woman cleared her throat over the crowd. "Well, all I have to say is that I hope you all learned your lesson." She turned her attention to Laxus. "I'm glad you came to your senses before I had to put a curse on you. Don't think I wasn't watching you through my mirror. And Gajeel," she barked and the man looked instantly afraid but her gaze softened as she took in the couple. "Don't fuck this up."

And with that, she waved her hands and everyone woke up the next morning, in their respective homes.

END CHAPTER 14

…

Hang in there with me. There's an epilogue to go and then this tale is wrapping up. I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I had bringing this world to life in a different way.

Musicera


	15. Chapter 15

Epilogue

…

The pink haired woman cleared her throat over the crowd. "Well, all I have to say is that I hope you all learned your lesson." She turned her attention to Laxus. "I'm glad you came to your senses before I had to put a curse on you. Don't think I wasn't watching you through my mirror. And Gajeel," she barked and the man looked instantly afraid but her gaze softened as she took in the couple. "Don't fuck this up."

And with that, she waved her hands and everyone woke up the next morning, in their respective homes.

…

Laxus and Cana's wedding had turned into a grand affair. The entire town was invited to celebrate and celebrate they did.

Several months later, the couple announced their pregnancy and Laxus promoted Bickslow so that he could handle things at the company while he was gone.

Bickslow and Lisana's wedding had been much quieter. A small number of friends and family had been present when the two expressed their vows, but the couple couldn't have been happier.

Many of the Guild members who had been trapped with Gajeel found work at Thunder Industries and a few of them had decided to seek their fortunes in Magnolia. Phantom Lord ultimately disbanded and Gajeel had assured Levy and her father over dinner one evening that it was for the best.

The police force had apologized to Levy's father. When everyone had woken up the next day, no one could quite remember why he had been put in prison and any evidence of his latest invention couldn't be found-or remembered.

With Makarov growing older, Gajeel moved in with him and Levy. Gajeel was a great help to her father, assisting him in crafting his newest inventions. The pair became quite a team and one of their inventions ended up winning the next year's fair, which brought in a good deal of income. Thunder Industries ended up offering to buy the design and since then, Gajeel and Laxus had been working side by side on how to improve it.

And while Levy and Gajeel took their relationship slowly at first, the two eventual held their own wedding and Makarov knew the joy of being a grandfather before he finally passed away years later of old age.

END DREAMER AND THE DRAGON

 **Thank you to all who followed, favorited and reviewed. You guys make writing these little tales worth it and I love you all!**


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